A Sneaking Suspicion
by Carmen Delta
Summary: Usagi and Mamoru are both fairly certain they've figured out each other's secret identities. Just to what extent would they go to catch the other out?
1. 0

Usagi took off running from the arcade, tears pouring down her face, long blonde hair streaming behind her. She was so terrified. She was so humiliated. She was so... Disappointed.

"Usagi!" she heard as she careened down the busy street. But she paid no heed; instead, she kept running. Running gave her something to do. Because any moment, she'd completely break down. Right in the middle of the street. Right in front of-

"Usagi!"

Heart hammering in her throat, vision blurring beyond visibility, and head pounding with the comings on of a tremendous headache, the blonde put on her last ounce of speed to get away. Normally, Luna's warnings of using her Senshi powers in civilian form would have deterred her from this decision. But today was not the day to be cautious.

She needed to get away from him.

* * *

_Just a short prologue folks. New chapter will be up in a few days. Be sure to leave some kind words (: Reviews make me want to post faster! YAY!_

_Hope you're all having a fab start to the week!_

_X_


	2. T minus 7

Don't own Sailor Moon. Or Mi Goreng, which is really, really yummy :C

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**7 days previously...**

* * *

Usagi stirred her milkshake in slow, deliberate circles. Her thoughts were all in an intangible mess. But things were starting to become clear. Something white flashed across her eyes and she jumped.

"Yoo hoo! Usagi-chan!" Minako cooed. "What's up?"

Usagi smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, was just lost in thought."

The other blonde slid into the booth and leaned forward, resting her chin in her cupped hands. "About what?"

Usagi shook her head. "I'm not sure. I thought I was on the brink of an... an.. what's that word? The sudden realisation?"

"Epiphany?" Motoki countered as he arrived with a milkshake for Minako.

"That's the word," Usagi said, nodding. She looked back at the melted mess of her own drink. "But I'm not sure."

"Well keep working at it, and you'll soon have it," the boy winked as he departed, heading for another customer.

Usagi and Minako both watched his retreating back with unblinking gazes. And then Minako spoke.

"So what were you thinking? Anything I can help out with?"

Usagi smiled at the idea. "Minako, thinking isn't really either of our strong points, so I don't know how much help you'd be."

Minako gave a sarcastic "har har," and reached for her straw. "But seriously. What is it?"

"Well," Usagi said, squinting above Minako's head. "This is just a weird, random, completely out-of-nowhere idea... But... I was thinking... Mamoru Chiba.."

"Yes," Minako said, inching across the table. "Yeeees?"

"Could Mamoru be Tuxedo Kamen?" Usagi finished uncertainly. Minako's face dropped, before lighting up again.

"Hey! That _is _a weird thought. What made you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know," Usagi moaned, fiddling with her straw again. "I just... I have this _feeling_. I can't explain it. But when I think of Mamoru, I get the same feeling in my chest as when I think of Tuxedo Kamen. And I mean, it's not like we know either one of them very well, right? But there are a few similarities. Lots, I'm sure. But I have that it's-on-the-tip-of-my-tongue sensation. Like I'm grasping at something that's just slightly out of my reach. I think it might be a glamour."

Minako's eyes widened. She leaned closer to her companion and lowered her voice. "Are you sure? You're not just crushing on the two of them or anything? You're definitely sure it's him?"

"No," Usagi said. "Not at all sure. But I just have that _feeling_, you know?"

Minako's eyes searched Usagi's. What she saw must have helped her make her decision. She nodded determinedly. "Then we are going to prove it. Mamoru Chiba, Tuxedo Kamen, whoever you are, you are busted!"

Usagi noticed the collective term of 'we' in Minako's speech and beamed. "Really? You don't think I'm stupid or making this up in my head?"

"Hey," Minako shrugged. "You're our leader and friend. We trust your judgments. And if you have a feeling about possible Mr. I-may-look-like-an-ally-but-I-could-still-be-your-enemy, then we are by your side." She raised her milkshake. "To a sneaking suspicion!"

Laughter bubbled from Usagi's lips. "To a sneaking suspicion!" she cheered, clinking her glass with Minako's.

* * *

Mamoru stared at the newspaper article, his thoughts darker than his bitter black coffee. '_Could she be the one?'_ he thought as he stared at the blurry image of the city-renowned superhero. She looked to be about the same age as Usagi. And there weren't that many blonde girls in Japan. Although that wasn't exactly a factor. If she was Sailor Moon, her glamour would prevent anybody from just guessing it was her underneath that tiara.

"Just who are you?" he muttered, his frown deepening. "Usagi Tsukino?"

But talking to a newspaper did not always provide one with answers, and so no answer he received.

As his vision began to blur, he groaned and ruffled his hair in frustration. Pushing away from his desk, he crossed the room in a few lengthy strides and flung open the door. He shielded his eyes from the bright light of his living room with his newspaper and blindly walked to where the balcony doors were. Swinging one open, he continued to the kitchen, the fresh morning breeze instantly lifting the heavy atmosphere in his apartment he felt being created by his moody presence. He threw the paper on the counter and set the coffee machine up, placing an empty mug below the drip.

Its slow trickle almost mocked him and how narrow he felt his thoughts were. '_Why can't I just know?' _his mind grated as he glared at the dribbling stream of coffee. '_If I'm Tuxedo Kamen, surely I'd be able to unravel Sailor Moon's identity just by thinking about the girl in question._' But as the trickle increased, developing into a steady flow, his mind expanded. '_Just force her to confess,'_ he mentally chided himself. '_Or find evidence that it is her. __**Prove it**_.'

He started when the coffee machine gurgled loudly to announce its completion of the task, and grabbed the mug roughly. "Prove it," he murmured as picked up the paper in his other hand and made his way to the balcony.

* * *

_Hello everyone! Did you like the first chapter? Did I characterise well? And what about that prologue? Did you find that interesting and intriguing? Did it make you want to read more? Do all these questions make you want to review? Heck, yeah!_

_Xx_


	3. T minus 6

_AN: A bit longer than usual, and that's without the part I'd cut out. Next chapter will have what this chapter had originally ended with. Usual disclaimer of owning nothing in the world goes here, as with advertising for YAY REVIEWS here. Enjoy the chapter, folks._

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**6 days previously...**

* * *

As Mamoru made his way up the steps of campus, he could see two male security guards at the door. The tall one was rough looking and had a fantastic moustache, whereas the smaller one had a strange goatee and messy blonde hair. They both had distinctly feminine features though, and Mamoru was strongly reminded of Jadeite.

He joined the queue as fellow students like himself were patted down and searched. "What's all this for?" Mamoru asked with a furrowed brow. Was his University finally upping its security? Had there been a threat? Was this a ploy of the Negaverse's?

However, the girl in front of him turned to him, looking at him like he was crazy and shrugged. "How should I know?" she said incredulously. Mamoru raised an eyebrow as she turned her back to him once more.

He checked his watch. He'd been running late this morning. Instead of being half an hour early, he was only fifteen minutes early. And he still had to get to his class and get his seat before it started! Eventually, the slow shuffle of the line had brought him to the front.

"Step up and put your arms up like this," instructed the tall one, holding his arms outstretched. Mamoru copied the action. "Tanaka," the security guard called to his colleague. "Take over this one while I check out that kid over there," he said, nodding to a professor trying to hurry through the queue and past the guards. "He looks suspicious."

"Right," agreed Tanaka, handing the metal detector to his partner as he passed.

"Hey you! Old man! Hold it!" the man shouted as the professor tried to run through.

"Please, I'm late for my class!" the man tried, before the guard lunged at him and tackled him to the ground.

Mamoru's eyes switched back to Tanaka. He was rolling up his sleeves. No, he was _folding_ up his sleeves... Weird. The blonde man cleared his throat a few times before gruffly saying,

"Stand still and wait until my instructions to do so again." Mamoru nodded. "I said stay still!" he barked.

Mamoru felt the hands start at his armpits and work their way down, patting the length of his body.

"You got anything in your pockets?" Tanaka said as he continued down Mamoru's left leg and patting thoroughly around his ankle.

Mamoru gulped, trying to think clearly. But it was weird. This man had such small and soft hands. It was doing things to him. Things that could potentially be embarrassing if he didn't stop. "No," he managed to spit out.

"No sharp objects? No thorns or sharply stemmed roses?" Tanaka continued. Mamoru gave a gurgled sort of laugh at the irony. The man's joke was almost spot on. At his laugh, he could see the security guard look up sharply. "Well, kid? Do ya?"

"No sir," he said serious, face going blank.

Tanaka leaned across Mamoru to pat his arms down, and Mamoru got the faintest whiff of shampoo. Familiar shampoo. He-

"Right. Thank you. On your way. No dawdling or suspicious behaviour please," Tanaka said as he stepped away and indicated with an arm to leave. "Or you'll end up like gramps over there," he tilted his head to where one of the professors was getting a very thorough probing with the metal detector. Mamoru was glad he'd gotten Tanaka instead of the psychopathic one over there, barking orders at the old man.

But still. There was something familiar about that Tanaka guy. Why was he familiar?

* * *

"Anything?" Makoto asked as she peeled off her moustache, wincing as the glue pulled at her skin.

Tanaka raised a pink pen in the air and closed his eyes. Seconds later, a bright white light engulfed him, and Usagi stood there in her school uniform. She shook her head sadly. "Nope. And I'd been so sure he'd carry a rose on him! A rose or... or something!"

The brunette reached over and patted her friend on the shoulder as she pulled the wig off her head, and her chestnut curls came tumbling down. "Don't worry about it, Usa. If he really is like us, maybe he has a subspace pocket, like where we keep our pens."

Usagi's eyes lit up. "You're right!" she said happily, clasping her hands in front of her. "But how do I get in _there_?"

When her expression turned thoughtful, Makoto laughed and pulled her arm away. "Oh, no you don't, little bunny," she said playfully, starting to unbutton her shirt. "You can think about this later. If we don't hurry, _we'll_ be late for school. And then you can have all the time in the world you want to think about Mamoru-san and his possible alter ego in detention. Capiche?"

Usagi nodded and helped Makoto remove the security guard shirt, throwing it into a nearby dumpster. Underneath was her school blouse. Makoto yanked her skirt out of her subspace pocket and stepped into it, buttoning it up and twisting it around until it was the right way. Tossing off her black pants, she gestured to the mouth of the alleyway. "Ready for some learning, Usagi-chan?"

* * *

The door chimed its greeting as Ami, Usagi and Makoto entered the arcade. Ami went to find them a booth, Makoto headed for the counter to order the milkshakes, and Usagi made a happy beeline for the new Sailor V game.

"Broken! What do you mean it's broken!" Usagi shrieked loudly. "You can't be broken," she said in disbelief to the machine as it said idly in front of her. "I played you just yesterday. You work fine."

She glared at the Out of Order sign for a few more seconds before joining Ami at the booth, with Makoto arriving moments later.

"So," Makoto smiled at her blonde friend as she slid next to Ami. "Any more ideas for the plan?"

Usagi drummed her fingers on the table. "A few, but nothing too solid yet. I was so sure today's plan would work!" She then growled in frustration. "I mean, why can't he just wear a sign saying 'I AM TUXEDO KAMEN' and let the whole world know? It'd certainly be easier for us!"

"What'd be easier for you, Odango?" a mocking voice asked as it entered through the automatic doors. "Or is that too broad a question?"

Usagi met Makoto and Ami's wide eyes with her own and prayed he hadn't heard the other part of what she'd just said.

"Guys," Motoki sighed as he approached the table with a tray of milkshakes. "Play nice. Mamoru, don't pick on Usagi. Usagi, don't blow up at Mamoru."

He began offloading the drinks onto the table. Chocolate for Ami, banana and caramel for Makoto and vanilla for Usagi. "So guys, I do need your opinion on something. The arcade party I'm having next week needs a new theme, I've decided. Got any ideas?"

"What happened to the 'It's Arcade-licious!' idea you had going?" Mamoru drawled. "Wasn't anyone excited about that?"

"Ah, Mamoru. I'm afraid not," the blonde man sighed, oblivious to the sarcasm in his friend's comment. "I thought it was quite clever and fun if you ask me. But I need a new one if we're going to attract more party-goers."

"Well what's popular at the moment?" Makoto chimed, eager to impress Motoki with her helpfulness. When nothing came to her, she looked at her blue haired friend. "Ami? What's popular at the moment?"

Ami blinked at the sudden spotlight. "I don't know," she said. "Why would I know?"

"You watch the news, don't you?"

"Yes, but there's nothing but youma attacks and the rising cost of fuel and how our economy is going down the drain thanks to-"

She was cut off as Motoki clicked his fingers. "Youma!" he said happily.

"Youma," everyone repeated dully.

"Not youma as in _youma_," Motoki corrected, as if it made any sense, "but youma as in the Sailor Senshi!"

"And Tuxedo Kamen," Usagi piped up, as Mamoru had opened his mouth.

"And Tuxedo Kamen," Motoki agreed. He looked around eagerly at their faces. "So Sailor Senshi? And Tuxedo Kamen? Party theme?"

"How about broadening it to superheroes?" Ami suggested after several seconds of silence. "That way not everyone comes wearing the exact same thing."

Motoki clicked again. "You're a genius, Ami! Now if you don't mind, I have some planning to do," he said as he began to back away. "Enjoy the drinks, girls!" He pointed at Mamoru with a serious finger. "Mamoru, remember, play nice."

"I am nice," the man rolled his eyes in response. He ignored the disbelieving 'hmph' from the blonde seated below him, and followed Motoki to the counter.

Usagi waited until they were gone before ducking her head towards her friends. "Guys, I think I have another idea."


	4. T minus 6 cont

**AN: **Shorter chapter today guys, since it's continuing on from the last chapter and is the same day. Next chapter will be longer. Remember to show your appreciation (I'm getting a lot of favourites and/or alerts as of late, but at a ratio of about 10:1 for reviews. So just remember that nice little detail. Reviews make me happy and post faster/sooner!) Hope you're still enjoying the story!

**

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**(Still) 6 days previously...**

* * *

Mamoru slid the photo across the desk. He'd stolen it from Motoki's corkboard in the Crown employee staffroom just that (_disasterous)_ morning. It was a group picture from last year's Crown party. The theme had been Mythical Figures, and Usagi and Minako had gone as fairies, dressed in glittery dresses and wearing large wings. Mamoru recalled the particular feel of the gossamer wings when he'd brushed up against the Odango at the refreshments table (of course). When they both reached for the last brownie, she'd used her glittery wand to bash his hand out of the way. He'd had a bruise on his knuckles for three days – and that was counting himself lucky. If he hadn't had accelerated healing powers, thanks to his alter ego, who knows how long it would have lasted.

"That one," he said as he tapped his finger on the beaming blonde, bringing himself back to the present moment and focusing on the matter at hand.

The man sitting opposite him raised an eyebrow and picked up the photograph. He grunted.

"She's a pretty girl." His eyes slid up to meet Mamoru's again. "And quite young too."

Mamoru felt a flush creep up his neck. He knew what the man would be thinking.

The man cleared his throat gruffly. "Just what are your... intentions with the results of my investigation? What do you... plan to use this information for?"

Mamoru felt a stab of annoyance. Great, so here was a private detective, who spent his days following people around, completely unaware of his presence, being photographed and spied on, but he had _morals_? He could dig up information that could break up marriages, tear apart families; give criminals access to privileged information, but following around a teenage girl made him question his clients? Was he not a professional?

"That's classified information," he settled for. The man did not need to know the exact nature of his curiosity. Mamoru himself would hardly believe it if he hadn't had his suspicions.

The photo slid back to him across the desk. "Then I'm afraid I can't help you."

Mamoru reached for his wallet. "Look, if it's-"

But this seemed like the wrong thing to do. In seconds, the large man was on his feet, towering over his desk and pointing a fat finger in Mamoru's face.

"Look, _boy_, I ain't a man who can have money thrown at him willy-nilly, alright? I don't go around following young women such as _this_," he raised the photo, "for just anything. So you can take your business elsewhere if this is a problem for you." He threw the picture back at the teenage boy.

Mamoru caught it by his fingertips and shook his head. "I meant no disrespect," he began, trying desperately to backpedal. The man hurrumphed and sat back down. Mamoru also took a chair for the first time. He leaned closer to the desk, his fingers meeting in front of him.

"She's a friend of a friend of mine," he said, frantically trying to explain the situation as best he could without outright lying. "I think. But I know – _think _- that there's a connection between the two of them. But it's not something I can't outright ask either of them. I..." he struggled for a moment. "She might be very important to me," he said quietly, dropping his gaze to his hands, which clenched together. "But I need to know for certain."

Mamoru kept his eyes on his hands as the seconds ticked by. The detective would say no. He'd say she was too young, or he didn't have the proper grounds to accept the job. He'd say –

"Alright," the man sighed tiredly, as if the one word had taken up all his energy to say. "I will take the job if she means something to you." Mamoru looked up. "But if you wanted her to be your girlfriend, why didn't you just say so? I've had plenty of desperate blokes come in here, wanting to dig up dirt on _The One_. You're not the first."

* * *

Usagi flopped backwards onto her bed - narrowly missing Luna, who'd streaked out of the way just in the nick of time, yeowling loudly.

"Luna!" the girl groaned as she sank into the soft mattress. "I'm so _tired_. Why am I so tired? It's only Friday! I should be at the arcade, playing Sailor V, or going shopping with Mina and Mako or something. But I just can't. I'm too tired..." she yawned, efficiently drowning out the rest of her speech.

"Perhaps it was the early rise you had this morning," the cat remarked as she jumped onto the girl's desk. "Didn't you get up two hours early?"

"Yes," Usagi said, her eyes drifting shut. "But I had something to do. It was important."

Luna pretended to be shocked. "More important than sleeping in? Well pull my whiskers, it must have been vastly imperative if you had to get up at 6.30 to do it."

Usagi yawned. "Whatever, Luna. It didn't even work in the end. And I _still_ got a detention with Makoto..." she sighed as her brain slowed to an impossible crawl and she drifted off to sleep.

"Makoto?" her advisor asked. "What were you doing with her? Why were you still late? Usagi? Usagi?" She let out a disguised sigh when she realised her charge had fallen asleep. "Lazy girl."

She had a right mind to go visit the Senshi of Thunder and demand answers when she glanced back at the sleeping blonde. Usagi was snoring lightly, and there was already a drop of drool forming in the corner of her mouth. But Luna's expression relaxed when she saw the peaceful look on Usagi's face. The girl had been doing better lately. She was trying to be responsible. And maybe she _was_ being a little too hard on her, when it was clear she was trying.

"Don't think you're getting out of a lecture, young lady," the cat settled for, pouncing down from the desk and heading away from the window – which had been her original destination. "I'll be questioning you later." Jumping up onto the bed and slipping under Usagi's loose arm, she curled herself into a ball and joined her charge in a well-deserved nap.

They slept through the whole afternoon.

* * *

_Hey, just wondering, is anyone here participating in NaNoWriMo this year? There's only 29 days left to go and I am so excited! I am practically itching to start my story **right now**! Gah. I'm so impatient!_


	5. T minus 5

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon not be mine!

* * *

**5 days previously...**

* * *

Usagi woke with a start. Even before her communicator began trilling, she knew what it was. She could feel it. She could feel _them_. Something from the Negaverse was in her city.

With one hand, she reached for the device, answering the call before the rest of her family could hear it and wake up. With the other hand, she threw her sheets off her legs and stumbled to her feet.

A quick glance at the clock showed it was just past one in the morning.

"Wake up, Odango," Rei's weary voice sounded from her side. There was no real heat to her tone, just a teasing nickname as a form of gallows humour. The blonde held the communicator up to her face.

"I'm here, Rei, what and where is it?" Usagi cast her eyes around her darkened room for her uniform, yanking the broach off it.

"It's by the entrance of the mall. Don't ask me why, maybe the Negaverse got their timezones wrong. Or maybe they were trying to plant something. But either way – the security alarms have gone off, and we need to get there before the security and police do."

Usagi nodded and murmured her thanks before breaking the link. As she slid on her tennis shoes and headed for her window, Luna's voice broke the silence.

"Inform me immediately of how the fight goes when you get back. There will be no sleeping until I am up to date, this time. Have you got it?"

"Yep," Usagi said flippantly as she climbed out of her window and edged her way across the house on the thin ledge. When she got to the garage roof, she backflipped to the ground and took off down the street, only calling on her henshin when she was a safe distance from her house and its sleeping occupants.

The proximity of the mall, combined with Sailor Moon's accelerated speed, meant that she reached it in no time. Sailor Mars was trying to fire her attack at it to keep it at bay, whilst Sailor Mercury typed away furiously on her computer.

"Got a weakness yet?" Sailor Moon asked as she arrived by the blue Senshi's side. Her friend shook her head furiously.

"If it would only hold _still_!" she fumed, tapping at the keyboard in aggravation and tilting the computer this way and that – mirroring the youma's moves.

Sailor Moon clapped a hand on her shoulder. "I'll try. Hang on."

But as she reached for her tiara, the youma suddenly roared and sent a blast at Sailor Mars. Coughing and spluttering, the Senshi dropped to her knees, covering her eyes. Sailor Jupiter took over whilst Sailors Venus and Moon ran to their friend.

"That stuff is _disguising_," Sailor Mars spat, trying to get the taste of it out of her mouth. "It's freaking perfume, guys! I probably just inhaled a litre of Britney Spears for all I know!"

The blondes shared a grimace above Sailor Mars' head.

"It's incapacitating!" she screeched angrily, now spitting continuously at the pavement. She still had not uncovered her eyes with her arm. Sailor Moon nodded grimly at Sailor Venus, who gently took Mars' upper arm and lead her to where Sailor Mercury stood.

Sailor Moon reached for her tiara once more. "You're going to pay," she snarled at the youma. She called on her attack, and threw her disk as hard as she could, but the monster simply sidestepped it and roared back at her.

Before she knew what she was doing, Sailor Moon had willed her tiara to split in two and return to the target, one slicing the arm off – which was holding the button to its giant perfume-bottle-body – and one clipping its neck. The youma howled in pain, and no longer being able to use its incapacitating attack, lunged at the Senshi leader.

The pair crashed to the ground, the round glass bottle crushing Sailor Moon's petite body. Her arms were busy trying to push the monster off her, but even if she had had them free, she couldn't've reached for her tiara since her windpipes were closely being crushed. She wheezed, desperately gasping for air. She could hear the blood pounding in her ears, and the sounds of Sailor Jupiter's running on the cold pavement, racing to free her. But it would be too late.

Black spots darted in Sailor Moon's vision, and her struggling attempts became weaker. The youma's face (bright blue and purple, with a nice silk bow at the top) leered above her own, knowing her fate.

Crack.

Sailor Moon's eyes widened as she watched a crevice quickly dart across the barrel of glass that was holding her down. Moments later, the perfume bottle shattered, drenching her in foul-smelling liquid, and the youma to collapse on her – straight into a shard of glass.

As Sailor Jupiter's hands gripped the youma's shoulders and hauled her back, Sailor Moon could see the puncture in her small stomach. Her weakness. With a flash of light, a cut-off howling of pain, and a blast of heat, the youma exploded in Sailor Jupiter's grip.

Sailor Moon dropped her head back on the ground, staring blankly at the starry sky.

"Are you alright?"

"Sailor Moon, can you hear me?"

"Jesus, you're gonna reek for a week!"

"Haha, that rhymed!"

"_Sailor Venus_."

Sailor Moon allowed herself to be pulled into a sitting position, and for Mercury to examine her quickly for injuries. She pushed the small, probing hand away.

"I'm alright," she muttered, blinking at the black spots again. "It's just a headrush." Suddenly, her eyes focussed on the missile that had freed her from the youma-made prison. A rose. Spinning around and craning her neck, she watched as a dark figure retreated into the shadows, giving her a small wave before leaping to the rooftops. Sailor Moon held back her disappointment. He'd heard she was alright. And he'd never stayed after a fight before. What was so different about this time?

Sailors Mars and Jupiter gripped her under her arms and brought her to her feet. After swaying unsteadily for a few seconds, and blinking away the new burst of black spots, Sailor Moon felt confident enough to smile off her team's worries.

After checking that she was alright, and that no one else had been hurt, they all began to split up.

"You know Luna," Sailor Moon joked. "She'll want a play-by-play before I go back to bed. I'll be up another hour at least." The others laughed in sympathy and headed their own ways.

"Mercury," Sailor Moon suddenly said quietly, as to not let the others hear. Her hand shot out and held the blue Senshi's upper arm. "I need to ask... a favour."

Her friend checked the vicinity for their friends – much more discreetly than she had – and leaned her head forward. "Would this be about your suspicions of a certain dark haired male that frequents your favourite pastime destination?"

"Er.. Yeah. Listen." She didn't want to sound crazy, or even stalkerish, but this had seemed like a clever idea when she'd thought of it on her way home from school yesterday. "There isn't a way you could, you know, use your computer to track... No?" her friend was already shaking her head.

"I can track you guys because I've already put you in the system. For me to do that for Tuxedo Kamen, or even Mamoru-san, I'd have to have him stand before the computer so it could take his readings. And there's no way he'd agree to it. This is spying to the extreme."

Usagi nodded, casting her disappointed eyes over the scene of the fight. Only a smashed window, the broken doors to the mall, and the glass from the youma remained. Pretty clean in terms of a debris from a fight.

"However," Sailor Mercury whispered suddenly, in a tone Sailor Moon had never heard her use before. Her eyes snapped back to her friend, only Sailor Mercury was staring purposefully at a nearby crossing light, only moving her lips minutely, as if slipping Sailor Moon an answer in class. "If one was to distract another... Long enough for him to hold still... I might be able to get a reading and-" she was cut off as her friend lunged at her, hugging her tightly and holding her in a deathgrip.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" the blonde gushed, jumping up and down, still clinging to her friend's neck.

Sailor Mercury gripped her friend's arms and pulled them away from the neck. "I don't know what you're talking about," she sniffed, looking away deliberately. Sailor Moon hid a grin.

"Besides," she said, spinning her friend around and pushing her away. "You need to _go home_. Luna is waiting for you!"

Sailor Moon's laugh – so carefree and happy – echoed into the quiet square, before she bounded off in the direction of her home.

Ami Mizuno – one of her best friends, and a strict rule-book follower – was going to help her. She was going to uncover the identity of Tuxedo Kamen. And if it – _when _it – turned out to be Mamoru Chiba... Sailor Moon's grin widened. Then the real fun would begin.


	6. T minus 4

**AN:** It's been many, many awhile, yes guys. Sorry! NaNoWriMo was... well, it wasn't great. It was a success, and it was interesting, but there are some definite highs and lows that came with that challenge. However, I'm still proud I did it! I'm currently fleshing out Nightmare in Dreamland (I and II), so I'd really love to finish this story so I can start writing the next one. Yay!

Usual disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the characters used in this story. Except maybe the redhead. Then again, maybe she's canon. I don't know! :D

* * *

**4 days previously...**

* * *

Mamoru ordered his coffee to go from the coffee cart on campus. He immensely disliked buying any coffee that wasn't made by Motoki, but he'd overslept this morning and needed the instant gratification of caffeine before his first class.

He glanced at his watch. Not only was he late, but he'd only gotten four and a half hours of sleep the previous morning. Damn youma.

"Here you go Mamoru-san," the boy behind the cart said as he handed Mamoru a small foam cup. Mamoru took it gingerly, hating that he couldn't be sipping from a ceramic mug at the arcade while chatting with Motoki about the latest news on campus (Motoki had a penchant for gossip – Mamoru insisted he was just being well informed of the goings-on in his micro-world).

"Thanks, Jiro," he nodded, regathering his books and heading for the west building.

"Mamoru-san! Mamoru-san!"

He turned and sidestepped just in time to miss being barrelled into by a very family blonde.

"Odango? What are _you _doing here?"

Her wide blue eyes gazed up at him and she laughed, glancing nervously to her left and scratching her head. It was a weird laugh, too. "Oh! Just! Um! Hey, so last night, Ami-chan and I were having a debate about whether or not this university has... has a really good canteen! Because Ami said she was interested in coming here but I wouldn't be able to visit her if the food sucked, see, and she said they had a canteen and it's food had a fairly good reputation, and I asked her how she knew and she said..." Mamoru tuned out her constant babbling and checked his watch again. He had eight minutes to get to class. And it would take him another five to get there. Not to mention all the good seats in the front row would be gone!

"And I said 'well Mamoru-san would know!' but Ami reckons you don't use it all that much and," Usagi's arm lashed out and grabbed his arm, turning him back into the conversation. "I said I'd ask, so here I am and here you are! So what do you say? Is the canteen any good?"

"Is the... is the canteen any good?"

"Yes. Do they sell food that one, such as yourself, would consider 'yummy'?" Her deep blue eyes were staring very intently into his. Challenging him. Or looking for something. He didn't know what, but there was definite determination. How strange.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" He shifted backwards, out of her grasp. Her arm fell limply to her side. He looked around. "And why are you here? Why did you seek _me _out?"

"I told you," Usagi sighed impatiently, glancing sideways in irritation. "Ami-chan and I were discussing-"

"I heard you the first time, but what are you doing _here?_ Surely such a discussion could have waited until this afternoon, where I unquestionably would have seen you at the arcade?" He narrowed his eyes. "What are you up to, Odango-brains?"

Usagi's chest swelled in indignation. She stuck a finger in his chest. "You know what, you overgrown textbook?" Another glance at her left had to deflate, and she beamed brightly at her. "You're right!" she chirped. "I could just ask you this afternoon at the arcade. Or Motoki, actually! He goes here too! Then I don't have to put up with _you _and your grouchiness for the sake of winning an argument! Okay, see you, bye!"

And she dashed off, leaving Mamoru wondering just what had happened. All around him, students bustling to class rushed around him. It was only when a redheaded girl bumped into his shoulder with a "sumimasen!" and he almost spilled his coffee that he blinked out of his stupor. A glance at his watch and a hiss later, he was joining the bustle, weaving his way to class.

He had three minutes to get there.

This just was not his day.

* * *

By quarter past four, Mamoru was tired and grouchy. He'd missed the room change notification that had somehow unstuck from the lecture room's door and floated to the floor, thus making him miss the first half of his psychology lecture; his coffee had been crap; he'd lost focus in all of his classes due to lack of sleep; and the wait for the P.I's results was driving him nuts. He was going crazy just sitting idly – he wanted to know who Sailor Moon was _now!_

"Doesn't someone look like a cranky two year old?" Motoki joked from the counter as he slid a mug under the coffee machine. Mamoru raised his tired eyes and trudged to the stools, like a lost little puppy. Or maybe like a brainless zombie.

"Coffee," Mamoru moaned pathetically as he watched the drizzle from the machine. "Yes. Coffee!"

"And you say I'm incoherent," a new voice remarked from beside him. "Motoki-onii-san, could I please use the arcade phone to see if Ami's home? I'm waiting for her but I don't know where she is."

"Of course, Usa," Motoki flipped up a portion of the bench for the young blonde to slip through to allow her access to the phone on the wall.

"Oh, also, how come your new Sailor V game is broken?" Usagi asked as she dialled in Ami's phone number.

"Gee," Mamoru said sarcastically in a tired voice. "I don't know. Maybe you broke it, Odango."

"Shut it, jerk-face!" Usagi said as she poked her tongue out at him. Her face brightened suddenly. "Hey Ami!" she chirped happily. Mamoru rolled his eyes and reached for the mug as Motoki placed it before him. "Ami," Usagi said suddenly in a very different voice. Motoki and Mamoru looked up. "What's wrong?"

Usagi was staring intently at the floor, holding the receiver to her ear with both hands. After a few seconds, she gasped. "Oh my gosh!" she whispered. "That's terrible!"

Mamoru met Motoki's eyes, before flicking back to the girl on the phone.

"Oh my gosh," Usagi whimpered, tears pooling in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Ames. Is there anything I can do?" A long pause. Usagi nodded, wiping away the moisture from her eyes. "Okay, I'm going to come over. I'm so sorry." Another pause and she hung up.

Mamoru was burning with questions, but Usagi gave a curt thanks to Motoki for her use of the phone, ducked under the counter and departed in five seconds flat, grabbing her schoolbag on the way out.

"I hope she's okay," Motoki said worriedly, watching out the doors, long after the blonde streamers had disappeared.

"It's the Odango," Mamoru said simply. "Isn't she always?"

But inside, he was just as concerned.

* * *

I'm on holidays and I'm back! And also, merry upcoming-Christmas to you all, SMers!


	7. T minus 4 cont

**AN: **Another quick update because work is very dull and means I have a lot of time to just think... Ugh. Anyway, here's another chappy right before Christmas, hooray! Look for another one sometime next week. Things are starting to get cooking!

* * *

**Four days previously... (still)**

* * *

"YOU BROKE IT!"

Usagi stumbled back against the door, frozen at the terrifying sight of a raging Ami.

"YOU BROKE IT," Ami screamed again, waving the small blue computer around in the air like a cowgirl. Her hand crashed back onto the coffee table. Usagi jumped. "THAT'S WHAT YOU DID! AND I WANT TO KILL YOU FOR IT BUT I CAN'T BECAUSE THAT'S ILLEGAL AND I'LL GO TO JAIL! NOT TO MENTION WE'D BE A SENSHI DOWN!"

Usagi watched as the red faced Ami began to hyperventilate. Bits of her blue hair were sticking to her face, where tears had clearly been shed.

And then the girl burst into tears again.

"The Mercury computer," she sobbed. "Broken! What am I doing to do now? I can't fix it!"

The hesitant blonde edged toward her friend. Cautiously. Like she was nearing a ticking time bomb. "Ami-chan?"

The bluenette suddenly broke into a very Usagi-like wail, and slumped over the coffee table, crying into her arms on the polished wood.

Usagi kneeled down beside her friend and patted her shoulder awkwardly. She had no idea how to deal with a hysterical Ami – it was completely new territory.

"Luna's going to kill me," Ami whispered from under her arms.

"Luna's going to kill _me,_" Usagi said with a sinking feeling.

"The Senshi are going to kill me," the blue haired girl continued, as if her friend hadn't spoken.

"The Senshi are going to kill _me_," Usagi once again disagreed. Her stomach plummeted at the thought of Rei's reaction. She could already hear the screaming now. She was an 'irresponsible leader'. She was 'immature and childish'. She wasn't 'fit to lead' with the way she treated Senshi equipment. An unpleasant taste filled Usagi's mouth. Even the thought of a disappointed Makoto and Minako sent thrills of fear down her spine.

She slid a tissue box across the table until it rested against Ami's arm. It sounded like things were getting phlegmy, and fast!

After Ami had had a good ten minute sob-fest, she had finally calmed down enough to speak civically.

"So what happened?" Usagi asked quietly, eyeing the blue computer that now sported black burn marks across the back.

"I told you on the phone," Ami murmured sadly. "Please don't make me repeat it. I'll only start crying again."

"Okay."

They sat in silence, staring at the broken equipment.

"It was a good computer," Ami mourned. "A good computer. I named it Felix."

Usagi's lip quirked. "Like the cat?"

"No, it's a programming pun," Ami retorted sharply. "Don't you know anything?" She simmered down again quickly. "I'm sorry. I'm just-"

"It's okay, Ames. You're in a difficult situation. That's alright."

"It was working fine when we scanned him, you know? It was giving me the readings and was scaling the information down just like a regular scan. And then when I came home and tried to sort through some of it, it just... it just... poof!" she threw her hands up in the air for effect.

She levelled Usagi with a look.

"I'm not so sure it's a glamour," she said in a hard voice. "I don't know how Mamoru-san managed to blow up my computer, but it mustn't be good. We are no longer looking into this matter on a mere whim. This is a full-scale Senshi approach now. And you must brace yourself, Usagi-chan. He may very well be the enemy."

Usagi nodded stiffly. Her hands tingled unpleasantly and something in the back of her throat lumped together, making her swallow loudly. She'd never considered that. Mamoru-baka being from the Negaverse.

Although he was a pretty mean person when he wanted to be. That's practically a job-requirement in the Negaverse.

But being mean-spirited to certain individuals and certain individuals only didn't warrant an immediate label of dangerous or evil, did it? Maybe they hadn't always gotten along. Maybe they could have tried harder to be friends, instead of whatever arrangement they currently had (frenemies?). Maybe if Usagi had just walked away from that first encounter without answering back, all this could have been avoided.

Was Mamoru truly capable of being a Negaverse cronie?

Usagi didn't think so. But she had no more evidence to back this up, than her theory of him being Tuxedo Kamen – who was just as dangerous at the given time.

So she'd wait it out. She wouldn't defend not attack Mamoru-baka until they knew exactly who he was. And who knew? Maybe he was just an ordinary civilian with a knack for stirring feelings within her? Motoki used to as well – and she'd certainly never considered him to be anything superhuman.

"Okay," was what she whispered.

"Okay?" Ami repeated for good measure, eyeing her friend. Usagi shifted under her gaze and drew the attention back to the palm sized laptop.

"So what do we do about," she gestured uncomfortably at the equipment she'd broken.

Ami heaved a loud sigh and picked up the dull machine in her hand, inspecting it closely.

"I could attempt to fix it once more," she said through tight lips. "But it would be incredibly tricky. This is no ordinary computer, you know." Her eyes slid to meet Usagi's. "And none of the others have to know, as long as I can fix it before the next fight."

A laugh escaped from Usagi's lips, whether nervous or relieved; she did not know. Soon, Ami joined in, and before they knew it, the pair were hysterical, slumped over the coffee table in Ami's apartment. If anyone had walked in on them the way they were now, one would have assumed they were just being silly, giddy teenagers. Not two teammates of the Sailor Senshi, the famed vigilante group known for stopping aliens from attacking Japan; who were currently more afraid of their friends and a cat than they were of said aliens.

If only things could have stayed that happy.

* * *

_Remember how lovely reviews are! They make me happy and not feeling like a bit of a shmuck for writing stories that no one reads! :D (And a final Merry Christmas, btw xx)_


	8. T minus 3

**AN: **Hello all! I've been on holidays on an island for the past week and a half, so I've been without internet and going MAD! Luckily for you that meant I've been able to write ahead a couple of chapters for this story, so when I get back on Thursday, expect another chapter. I think. If I'm not too weary from travelling 17 hours in the backseat of a car with two massive dogs slobbering and breathing and sleeping on me. And trust me, one of them has really, _really_ pointy elbows! Talk about ouch much?

Usual standard disclaimer applies. I don't own any of the Sailor Moon universe characters.

* * *

**Three days previously...**

* * *

Motoki held up the tuxedo and grinned. "It's great, isn't it?"

Mamoru leaned deeper into his hand and replied sombrely, "It's okay. What's it for?"

"For the party!" Motoki rolled on his heels, the tuxedo swaying on its hanger. "I'm going as Tuxedo Kamen, dashing debonair!"

"Party?"

"The Superheroes themed one. Don't tell me you forgot!" At Mamoru's blank expression, the blonde's smile slipped. "Don't tell me you forgot," he repeated in a different tone. "Mamoru!"

"I'm really just not a party kinda guy," his friend settled for, sipping his coffee seriously. "You know that."

"Yes, which is exactly why you should come!" Motoki rattled the tuxedo on the hanger to emphasis his point. "There's going to be great food, great music, great games and best of all... great girls!"

Mamoru arched an eyebrow. Motoki searched for another pitch, but was saved by Unazuki.

"Mamoru," Motoki's miniature in female form crooned. "I know a special someone would be delighted if they saw you at the partyyy! A special... _girl_."

"Who?" Mamoru asked, his brows furrowing, as Motoki demanded at the same time,

"Who is it?"

"Oooh," Unazuki winced playfully. "Can't tell. But all I know is she'd be really, really glad if you came. She told me herself!"

Mamoru wracked his brains for all the girls that he had seen Unazuki communicate with in her time at the arcade, but all that came to mind was Makoto, back when she'd had that massive (and massively-known) crush on Motoki, and was pumping his little sister for information, and Usagi, who pretty much spoke to everyone. His eyes narrowed.

Well it definitely couldn't be Makoto – if her threatening to knock him unconscious if he made one more comment about what Usagi ate was any indication, he was pretty sure he wasn't her type. Or she wasn't his. Either way, Makoto was out, which left...

So Odango (maybe) wanted to see him at the party (possibly), and would be downtrodden if he didn't show up (perhaps)? Well.

"Alright," Mamoru sighed in a long suffering voice. He ignored Motoki and Unazuki highfiving as his thoughts raced ahead to the afternoon in question. "I'll go."

For purely scientific reasons, of course, he was convincing himself. He had to find evidence to support his hypothesis that Usagi was Sailor Moon, or else he'd... he'd just...

"... never know for sure," Motoki continued, unaware that his best friend was currently not in the same zone as the rest of the human race at that given time. "Hey, have you got a costume yet?"

"I need to... uhh... start looking for my costume," Mamoru slipped off the stool and shelled out the money for the caffeine. "Keep the change." He was out the door a moment later, and strolling not towards the Juuban mall, but towards his apartments.

Motoki shook his head and held up the coins. "What change?" he murmured, pocketing the arcade tokens that he knew Mamoru only had in his wallet because of a certain blonde who had a tendency to cry if she ran out of pocket money before she could get her hands on a Sailor V game.

As a diversion tactic of course. To heed off the oncoming waterworks. Not because Mamoru liked her or anything...

Or at least, not because he realised he liked her yet or anything...

* * *

Mamoru was still thinking about what Unazuki had said when he was barrelled into at a very familiar corner. Instinct, after much practice, had taught him to curve his body a certain way to avoid the sharp brick jutting out of the stone wall. Instinct, after much practice had also taught him to catch the girl in his arms as they fell to the pavement.

"Ack!" the girl let out as she lifted her head from Mamoru's chest. Mamoru had to cross his eyes to properly see the blonde's face clearly.

"You know, you really need to start looking where you're going," Mamoru said bitterly as he pushed the girl off his chest and onto the sidewalk, dusting off his blazer, which had sadly gotten dirty in the scuffle.

"You know, you really need to deflate your stupid head a bit so people can actually turn corners and not barrel into the baka-barricade," Usagi retorted without missing a beat.

"You know, you really need to stop talking back," Mamoru countered with heat. "Haven't your parents taught you to respect your elders?"

"Haven't your parents taught you respect is earned, not given?" shot back the blonde hotly.

Mamoru froze for a split second, the words sinking in, and then he was on his feet again, dusting his pants off. "Always a pleasure, Odango Atama," he said tersely. "Now if you'll excuse me."

As he went to turn the corner again, for the second time in two minutes, a small warm figure knocked into him, sending the pair to the ground. Again, instinct kicked in, and Mamoru caught the girl before they hit the floor. Usagi squealed and crawled out of the way backwards, just in time.

"Sumimasen!" the girl gasped, gracefully pulling herself to her feet in a matter of seconds. The girl held out and hand, which, surprisingly, Mamoru took. "I'm so sorry about that," the redheaded girl apologised sincerely, looking deep into Mamoru's eyes. "I was so busy reading my..." her gaze dropped to the ground, and she ducked to pick up a heavy volume on quantum physics. "I was so busy reading my book, I forgot to look where I was going!" She gave a nervous grin. "Sometimes I just get so caught up in my study."

"That's perfectly alright," Mamoru heard himself saying as his eyes glued themselves to the thick book. He ignored Usagi's "Oh, so it's alright when _she's_ not paying attention!" and instead asked: "Say, you don't happen to go to Tokyo University, do you?"

"I do," the girl replied. "I apologise for my bumping into you the other day as well, Mamoru-san. Please believe me when I say it is not a habit of mine. I'm Tomoyo by the way," she bowed politely. "We have organic chemistry and human psychology together."

"You do physics as well?" Usagi huffed as she popped in between Mamoru and Tomoyo, her hands on her hips. "Well, aren't you just a regular Superwoman!"

Tomoyo giggled at Usagi. "No, I was just reading this for enjoyment. My subject books never leave my house."

"You don't... take them to class?" Usagi frowned. "What, do you have photographic memory too?"

"No, I have an extra copy of each in my locker on campus. That way I don't have to strain myself carrying them to and fro."

"That's smart," Mamoru nodded. "I should look into doing that." Never mind that he didn't need to, thanks to his subspace pocket. He could carry a refrigerator in there if there was a power supply. Which, now that he thought about it, might actually be possible, knowing the pocket's infinite enigmatic properties.

"Well," Usagi said sweetly, drawing Mamoru's attention back. "This has been lovely," her smile looked sweet, but Mamoru could see it didn't reach her eyes like it usually did. She gripped his arm and began subtly tugging him away from Tomoyo. "But Mamoru promised he'd help me on my homework back at the arcade, so we'd better tootles so I can get home on time and not get totally fried by my mother."

"Yeah, if your grades don't do it for you," Mamoru said. Usagi laughed loudly and swatted him in the arm. Hard.

"Maybe I'll see you later Mamoru-san," Tomoyo said. She smiled at Usagi, whom Mamoru could see was practically foaming at the mouth about something. "Goodbye...?"

"Usagi-chan!" the blonde chirped. But her eyes said something different: Your worst nightmare.

"Goodbye Usagi-chan. Goodbye Mamoru-san." Tomoyo waved politely and sidestepped Mamoru, heading toward the arcade.

Usagi waited a good five seconds before throwing Mamoru's arm down and gripping his blazer lapels instead. "Who was that?" she demanded in a hiss.

"That was Tomoyo," Mamoru said sarcastically. "Did you not just hear her introduce herself? Geez Odango, are you deaf as well as dumb?"

"She looks like she's trouble," Usagi said in a voice Mamoru had never heard before. Her eyes were glued over his shoulder at Tomoyo's retreating figure. "You should stay away from her," she said smartly.

"Says who? You? Odango, what's wrong with you?" Realisation dawned on Mamoru. "You're not... jealous are you?"

"Jealous?" Usagi spat out, before bursting out laughing. "Oh, you kill me Mamoru." She sobered and settled him with a glare. "No, really. You kill me Mamoru. No, I'm not jealous."

She released her deathgrip of his lapels go and began straightening them back into position. "I'm just telling you. Girls can tell these things about other kinds of girls. But that's sweet that you think I'd ever like you. Very sweet. And very funny. Now, if you'll pardon me, I have some Sailor V to get to before heading home. I'd like to derail this conversation from my brain and pretend it never happened." She patted his lapels down smartly and fixed Mamoru with a bright smile. "You have a good afternoon now, you hear?"

Mamoru turned to watch as Usagi walked off in a very un-Usagi-like manner. Almost like she was... swaying her hips?

Almost like she was walking the same way Tomoyo had.

Mamoru shook the thought from his head. No, if there was one thing Usagi had ever been right about in her life, it was that she did not like Mamoru.

So what had all that just been moments before?

* * *

_Yay for the super fun task of writing about a jealous Usagi! Wasn't she just so adorable?_


	9. T minus 2

**AN:** Hope you're all enjoying the story so far. We're definitely over halfway, although I'm not sure how many chapters remain. Maybe three? Four? Five if I'm feeling long-winded! Who knows.

Usual disclaimer applies.

*This chapter takes place the day after the last chapter (well, obviously) after school. Just in case some of you got/get confused. I hope you don't, otherwise it means I did a shoddy job of showing.

* * *

**Two days previously...**

* * *

"I mean, who is she, Rei? Is she Mamoru-baka's classmate? Is she trying to be _more _than just a classmate? Is she trying to be his girlfriend?" Usagi stopped her pacing and sent a glare at her friend, who sat calm and graceful by the pond. "You know what? I'll bet that bump was a clever rouse to get him to talk to her! She said she did it the other day too! You know what? I'll bet both were deliberate. No one's that clumsy!"

"You're right, Odango," Rei agreed, nodding seriously, even as her words dripped with sarcasm. "She's clearly hitting on Mamoru-san. Bumping into him twice in the same week? She's sure to be sinking her claws in."

"Exactly!" Usagi shouted, spinning to face her raven haired friend and pointing her finger in accusation. Rei sighed at Usagi's obliviousness. "_Or_," Usagi continued thoughtfully, spinning back on her heel and continuing pacing. "She could be from the Negaverse! A super slimy youma under the disguise of a sweet and innocent university student! Ooooh, how low will they sink? Preying on not only our energy, but our hearts and education as well? You know, that is so typical of Ber-"

"Odango Atama!" Rei shouted, cutting her friend off mid-rant. "Slow down, girl! You're starting to talk crazy talk! Listen. I'm sure you're just overexaggerating this whole situation. From what I've heard, it just sounds to me like Tomoyo is a really nice girl, who might really hit it off with Mamoru. And you..." she winced, glancing up at her blonde companion. "Well, you sound a little jealous."

"JEALOUS?" Usagi exploded, throwing her hands in the air as her eyes practically bulged out of her head. "ME? HA!" She slapped her knee as she forced out a very wheezy "HA, HA, HA!" She walked up to Rei and placed a calm hand on her shoulder. "Oh Rei! You are so funny! You know, Mamoru told the exact same joke? You know, I'm starting to think you're in on it together or something." Her grip tightened on the young girl's shoulder, and her eyes narrowed to thin blue slits of steel. "Are you and Mamoru-baka together now? Is that it?"

"Usagi-chan."

"Is Tomoyo a _distraction_? Am I being kept in the _dark_? Are you two LYING TO ME?"

"Usagi-chan!"

"...Sneaking around behind my back! Oooooh, Rei! I never knew you could be so devious!"

"USAGI-CHAN!"

"What?" Usagi cried, releasing Rei to throw her hands up in the air again. "Tell me Rei! I'm not going to freak out. One of my best friends is _only_ going out with my worst enemy and lying to me about it; it's not a big deal or anything!"

"Usagi, listen to yourself!" Rei said, wrapping her hand around the blonde's skinny wrist and yanking her down to the ground with her. "You sound more jealous than I've ever heard you before! And that includes the time your parents gave your brother the Sailor Moon clock for Christmas that you'd been hinting at for weeks!" She levelled her friend with a look. "You have to calm down. You need to think rationally."

"I am being rational," Usagi pouted. "And ratiality isn't getting me anywhere!"

"First off," Rei said, ticking a finger off on her hand. "Ratiality isn't a word. I think you mean _rationality_. Second of all," she ticked off another finger. "If you're going to accuse Tomoyo of being part of the Negaverse just because she's a nice girl who happens to have stumbled into Mamoru's path –literally- once or twice, then don't you think you ought to consider every nice girl Mamoru meets, as a Negaverse threat?"

"You're right!" Usagi gasped quietly, her eyes losing focus as she stared into the grass. "They could be everywhere! There could be hundreds of thousands of them, crawling all over our city!" Usagi made a disgusted face and spat at the ground. "They don't deserve to be near him."

"You're right," Rei said, glad that her friend was seeing reason and thinking clearer now. "The Negaverse-"

"The Negaverse? No, I'm talking about all the girls Mamoru probably meets." Usagi raised a hand and began to tick off her own fingers. "At school, at work – does he have a job? Where does he work? – on the street, in the grocery store, at the arcade... Oh god," she moaned and covered her face with her hands. "So many possibilities! Not enough time to scan them all!"

Rei growled and slapped the blonde upside the head. "Stop! Just stop!"

"Ow, Rei!"

"Well, you needed that. You're welcome, by the way. Look Usagi, it's time to face your fears and realise that maybe you like Mamoru more than just as a..."

"Mortal Enemy?"

"I was going to say dartboard or crash tackling target, but that works too. Maybe seeing him interact with other girls has made you realise that you can't stand the idea of him having a girlfriend who's not you."

"Oh, don't make me retch, Rei."

"I am serious, Odango. Maybe you never noticed that what you thought was tension between you two was something else. Maybe it was a spark or a different kind of friction. One that only you two have when you're around each other."

"A spark?"

"Yeah, like the ones Minako is always going on about. You should talk to her about this, I'm sure she's better at this conversation than I'll ever be, what with being the goddess of love and all."

"But I don't like Mamoru," Usagi said sadly, looking down into her lap.

"Don't like, or don't want to like?"

Usagi raised her head and slowly registered the question, peeking at her friend through lowered lashes. Rei bumped her shoulder with her own.

"Because those are two very different things," she said quietly, giving a small smile. "And give two very different outcomes, depending on you."

"But what if I did?" Usagi's blue eyes swam with worry as she picked at a blade of grass. "He's still a jerk who happens to be gorgeous and knows it. He can get any girl he wants in the world!"

"But you're also Sailor Moon, champion of love and justice. You don't think you can get any guy you want in the world?" Rei asked with raised eyebrows.

"He could be Tuxedo Kamen," Usagi countered. "It's the same thing, really."

"Well if he really is Tuxedo Kamen, whom the whole world knows has the hots for Sailor Moon," she winked. "Then at least you don't have to worry about competition! Every girl in Tokyo will know he's _yours_!"

The pair began to laugh, and the sound of two happy teenage girls floated around the tranquil grounds of the Cherry Hill temple. Usagi bumped her forehead on her friend's shoulder. "Thanks, Rei."

* * *

"Thank you for coming to me!" Minako gushed as Usagi slipped out of her shoes at the doorway. Minako grabbed Usagi's hands and began jumping up and down in her usual level of excitement. "Rei just called and told me everything! We are going to hook you up with Mamoru-san as sure as I am going to crimp my hair for the party this Friday!"

Usagi allowed herself to be dragged down the hall into Minako's room, where the door was slammed shut and barricaded with soft toys. "Sound proofing," Minako explained as she pushed a teddy bears leg under the crack at the bottom of the door. When she was done, she clapped her hands together, causing Usagi to jump and Artemis to wake.

"Artemis!" Minako yelled, holding her hands on her hips. "I just soundproofed the door! Now how am I going to get rid of you?"

"Get rid of me?"

Minako's blue eyes lit up as she registered a way to remove her feline guardian. "You're not supposed to be here for this conversation," she said as she stomped across the room and picked up her advisor. She opened her window. "It's private," she told him, before throwing him out and slamming the window shut.

"Minako!" Usagi howled, racing to the window and yanking it back open. "You live on the second floor!"

"Third, actually, according to the elevator," Minako corrected, before waving a hand. "And don't worry! He's fine! Cats always land on their feet."

"Yeah, but that doesn't guarantee they'll survive," Usagi said as she stuck her head out into the late afternoon breeze. "Artemis? Artemis!"

"Oh my gosh, it's okay! I threw him into the dumpster. It broke his fall. Now," her eyes lit up deviously, causing Usagi to gulp nervously and back away from the window. "We have some plotting to do." She began to advance on Usagi.

"Uh, don't you mean talking?"

"Sure. Talking."

"Minako, what are you – EEEEEEEP!"

* * *

One hour and forty-five minutes later, Usagi was stumbling out of Minako's apartment, feeling braver and more battle worn than she ever had from a Senshi-Negaverse fight. Minako had talked her through her 'feelings' (AKA told her what vibes she was getting from Usagi and Mamoru and translating them from Goddess of Love to Human), devised a plan to get Mamoru to start noticing her, and given her a makeover as she'd talked.

And Minako's idea of a makeover involved tweezers, beauty products in many foreign languages that left Usagi grappling for her stinging and pinching face, and chemicals for her hair.

"Those highlights really bring out your even skin tone!" Minako yelled cheerfully from her bedroom window as she waved goodbye.

Usagi waved back and nodded to show she'd heard and continued on her way home. Maybe it would be dark enough by the time she got there that her father wouldn't notice the red blotches left by a French facial mask that had promised to (tighten pores and remove stubborn skin!). She crossed the street and headed for the familiar path to the arcade, which would lead her home.

Usagi stopped on a street corner to watch footage of last week's youma attack, which someone had captured from a high rise building window, on one of the TVs in the hi fi store. The footage was cut to an abrupt stop when the power went out in the building, and the camera man appeared to have tripped and dropped the camera in fright, and the news anchor returned.

Usagi watched his mute lips moving for a few more seconds before remembering where she had to be. She had taken but one step when she was plowed straight into by another person.

"Oh, gomen nasai," apologised the deep voice as the stranger straightened themselves up as if they'd been practicing all their life.

"Okay, this time, it was your fault buddy," Usagi grumbled from the pavement before she'd even registered what she was saying. "Oh! I mean..."

Mamoru sighed as he looked down on the sprawled blonde.

_Always be gracious and faultless. Never place blame on yourself or the guy, even if it is his fault. However, being too humble will make you look like a doormat. Do NOT look like a doormat!_

Usagi scooted to her feet as quickly and as gracefully as she could, keeping Minako's advice in mind as she knocked her head against the sharp stone jutting out of the wall in the process.

"Oh, wow!" she muttered, clutching her head with one hand and inspecting the grazed palm of her other. "Ouch."

Mamoru cleared his throat and shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "Er."

"Oh, right!" Usagi hid her hands behind her back and tried to focus on Mamoru's eyes to keep from swaying. Unfortunately, she was so dizzy, Mamoru currently had three eyes, and she wasn't sure if she was looking in the right two. "Um, hey sorry about yesterday," Usagi said quickly, trying to rush her speech least she pass out or start bleeding and make a fool of herself. "I understand that you might have felt... well... that you might not have wanted me to approach you at your university and all. I wasn't en... en... encroaching on your space or anything. I didn't think that you might have minded. So. Sorry." She nodded once, glad that she'd delivered the speech as perfectly as she could under present circumstances. "Yeah. Okay, goodbye!"

She ran off in the other direction, her pigtails whipping in the air as she tried to not think about what Mamoru would be thinking, standing there in her wake.

She never saw Mamoru's questionable gaze that followed her down the street.


	10. T minus 1

**AN: **Nothing much new to say really! Thanks for the reviews though, guys. They're lovely!

*Usual disclaimer applies.

* * *

**One day previously...**

* * *

Mamoru took a final glance around the quiet avenue before pushing open the glass door and jogging up the creaky wooden staircase. With every step he took, the wood beneath him cried in protest, its high pitched squeal reverberating in the narrow space. He reached the third floor and knocked on the unlabelled door.

"Come in," a gruff voice called. Mamoru stepped inside and crossed the room to the desk. The room was staler than he remembered. There was more of a smokey haze to it, and the smell of tobacco and something else lingered in the air. He politely clamped his mouth shut and tried to not inhale too much.

"Ah, Mr. Chiba," the investigator began. "Good, you received my message." But Mamoru sensed from the man's body language that he wasn't pleased to see him. In fact, he seemed... nervous. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to refund your money," was what the man said as Mamoru thought this. "It seems... Well, I don't mean to imply anything about your little girlfriend, but she is one hard target to follow."

"Excuse me?"

"One minute I'm tailing her, the next, I have absolutely no idea where she is."

"Are you sure?" Mamoru found himself asking. "I mean, she eats a lot, so it's not like -"

"I'm sure," the investigator said loudly, in a deep and final voice. "It's like she just vanishes into thin air." He narrowed his eyes and stared thoughtfully at the young man before him. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about this, would you, Mr. Chiba? About her inability to be tracked? That is why you came to me in the first place, isn't it?"

"No," Mamoru backtracked, wondering if the man would attempt to tail him as well. Lord, if anyone found out _his _secret identity... Well, they'd be sorry. "I'm just too busy with school right now. That's all. Look," he found annoyance starting to swell up within him. "If you found this job too difficult or you yourself are not adequate enough to follow a fifteen year old girl, then I'm sorry. I'll take my business elsewhere."

"I am plenty adequate!" the man exploded before him, leaning across the dusty desk to glare up into Mamoru's eyes. Mamoru remained cool and calm, showing no fear. "But Usagi Tsukino is a target I wouldn't wish on anyone! One minute, she's talking into her phone, the next, she's turning a corner and then gone! So unless you're suggesting she has super speed or is able to jump to the roofs of buildings and run from there, then I think it is _you_ who will have the problem."

Something was starting to click in Mamoru's mind. Old clog wheels were churning to life, beginning to cycle through this new information and what it meant. He held out his hand. "The money, please."

The man grumbled and reluctantly pushed himself back off the desk, leaving clean handprints in the dust, and pulled open his top draw. Moments later, a thick envelope was exchanged.

"Thank you," Mamoru said, turning to leave. The faster he could get to somewhere quiet, the faster he could think.

"Wait!" the investigator yelped as the door clicked shut. But when he opened the door again, Mamoru was already gone.

* * *

"Thank you so much," Usagi whispered to Miu. "You'd really be helping me a lot."

"Oh, don't worry about it, Usagi-chan. I'm glad to help. Even if I don't understand why I'm doing it."

"Oh! Oh, okay here he comes! Can you see him? Tall guy. Dark hair. Wearing that hideous green blazer that don't even match his stupid purple pants..."

"I see him. Phew! Usagi, you never said he was so attractive!" Miu pretended to fan herself, watching as Usagi started to turn red.

"HE IS NOT ATTRACTIVE!" she spat out in a yelled-whisper. "Don't back out on me now, Miu-chaaaaaan!"

"I'm not, I'm not. Calm down, Usa. Yeesh! Okay, here goes!"

Miu stood to full height and stepped around the bush, melting into the sidewalk as if she'd spent her whole life on it. As the distance closed between Miu and Mamoru, Usagi shuffled after them, her hands and knees staining green from the grass, and a crick in her neck beginning, due to having to duck extra low. "Stupid odangos," she muttered as she opened a slit in another bush to peer through.

Miu was already working her magic.

"Please, sir? You are absolutely perfect for the role! And this project accounts for a quarter of my grade!"

"Trust me when I say I'm no actor," Mamoru said politely. "You really should find someone else."

Miu, ever the theatrical, suddenly started spouting the waterworks. "Oh my gosh," she said in between her tears. "I'm going to fail this course and my sempei will call my mother, who'll pull me out. You know, she always told me I was no good for drama. She said I should learn how to make beds and cook for my family, but I told her no. That this was my _dream_! And I'm never going to achieve it, all because of one lousy assignment! Thank you for your time, Sir."

Miu, sniffling and shuffling her feet, brushed past Mamoru and began walking away. A wicked grin carved itself on Usagi's face. Even she knew Mamoru could not resist a crying girl. Especially if he thought it was his fault. His conscience wouldn't allow for it.

"W-wait," Mamoru ended up calling to Miu's back. Miu stopped and stood there, her shoulders shaking. But she didn't turn around. "I'll... I'll help you on your project. What do you need me to do?"

Miu squealed and ran full force at the man, latching herself around his neck and babbling happily about how he'd saved her from a miserable life of housework.

"Okay, you can let go now," Usagi whispered under her breath as the seconds ticked on and Miu still had not released her target.

Miu did indeed release Mamoru, and beamed up happily at him. Usagi felt her stomach clench and unclench unpleasantly. This hadn't been a good plan after all. What if he fell for Miu? What if he _liked _her? Usagi's low groan drowned out part of Miu's speech.

"And all you have to say is the lines, while I film it, that way when I go home, I can play them back on my computer, work on my storyboard properly, and then reshoot the thing on the weekend with you in it! Okay?"

"Okay," Mamoru shrugged. "Do you want to do it on the street?"

"Sure," Miu chirped as she brought out a video camera from her bag. "Why not?"

"Okay. So what are the lines?"

"So in my product advertisement, I'm doing 'manly shower gels'. The kind that heroes use. That's my angle. Got it? Good. Okay, so in my ad, I'm going to have a girl clinging to the side of a building, and the dashing hero – who is _just a regular joe_ – comes and rescues her. But fails. And then I'm going to show the product, and reuse the scenario, but this time if he'd used the gel. He saves the girl, she swoons a little and they end up together. Like Superman and Louis Lane!"

"Or like Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon?" Mamoru asked. Usagi froze. They were not together, excuse her! Wait... There'd been something in that tone... But she could put her finger on it.

"Or... Yeah! I guess like them. Hey! Yeah! Just like Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon! Good one! Okay. So you're line is 'Are you alright? Hang on, I'm coming!'"

"Are you alright? Hand on, I'm coming!" repeated Mamoru dutifully. Miu smiled and nodded, flipping open the camera and pressing the record button.

* * *

When Usagi later met up with Miu in a nearby cafe, the girls crowded together over the small digital camera. Usagi listened to Mamoru's lines, which Miu had made him repeat over and over again for half an hour, but although they sounded just like Tuxedo Kamen's heroic calls and encouragement, she could not tell if they were the same or not!

Miu giggled and looked at Usagi, who looked downtrodden.

"What's wrong, Usa?" she asked quietly. "Did your prank not turn out the way you planned? Did I do something wrong?"

Usagi sat up in her seat, fixed her new friend a dazzling smile and put an arm around her shoulder. "Of course not, Miu! No, I was just thinking... about all the homework I have to do when I get home! Oh, ugh. Homework, it's a killer, right?"

"Right," Miu agreed. She opened the camera and took out the small video tape. "Well, then I guess this is for you." Usagi took it. "And I guess I'll catch up with you and my dear old cousin Minako sometime soon, okay?"

"Sure," Usagi chirped as Miu stood up to go. "Oh, wait! Are you coming to the arcade's party tomorrow?"

"You mean the one Furuhata Motoki works at?"

"Yeah! It's an annual party, but this year's theme is superheroes. Ironic, huh?"

Miu considered this. "Well, I guess I could try to come. If I find a costume in time that is!" she giggled again and placed her hand on Usagi's shoulder. "And thanks for the fun this afternoon! It was great working on my improve skills!"

"I guess acting must run in the family," Usagi grinned, thinking of all Minako's theatrics. "You're a natural."

"Thanks, you're so sweet! Well I have to run if I want to catch my bus, and you have all that homework to do. So maybe I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow!" Usagi called as Miu excited the cafe. "And thanks once again!" Miu raised a hand to say she'd heard as she stepped on the street. Usagi happily waved until her friend was out of sight.

She slumped unhappily in her chair. If only they hadn't broken Ami's Mercury computer. Then they could have used the voice stress analyser...


	11. T minus 47mins

**AN: **Not much to say, really. As you can see, we have a new chapter. Please enjoy and remember to share the love back with a few kind (or even not so kind, if you're feeling adventurous) words.

Usual disclaimer applies.

* * *

**Day of Destiny**

* * *

"Hey Motoki, here are those lights you needed. Dad says as long as you wrap them back up the same way they are now, he's fine with you borrowing them."

"Thanks, Usa!" Motoki took the coil of fairy lights gingerly. "When I found out yesterday that our's wire had frayed..." He dwelled on the sad fact for a full five seconds before clearing his throat and jumping back to his usual cheerful demeanour. "Anyway! Hot chocolate on the house? To get you to school?"

"Oh, no," Usagi shook her head and backed away with a smile. "This is the first time I'll be there before first bell. I need to make sure I am there as early as possible! Thanks though, Motoki. Maybe a raincheck." With a happy wave, Usagi skirted out of the arcade, nearly bumping into a customer on her way out.

"Oh!" she squeaked. "Gomen nasai!"

Mamoru watched as the girl skipped down the street, oblivious to whom she had just stumbled into.

"She seems happy," he commented as he seated himself on a stool with a newspaper splayed on the counter before it. He picked up the pages and flipped through to check his horoscope while Motoki was busy with the coffee machine.

"Because she didn't quarrel with you?" Motoki said good naturedly. "I doubt she knew it was you. She wanted to get to school early."

"That's nice," Mamoru said as he scrolled down the star signs until he reached that of the Leo. "Hm," he hummed as he read.

"Hm what?"

"Hm, it's a Friday," the raven haired college student quickly covered as he folded the newspaper to start back at the front page.

"That's right! You put your hands up, they're playing Motoki's song, and the butterflies fly away. Nodding your head like _yeah!_ Moving your hips like _yeah!_ Why? Because today is a party in the Crown Arcade!" Motoki finished his song off with a fantastic twirl, which went unnoticed by his best friend, who was studiously ignoring him.

"So what's your costume?" Motoki asked casually as he picked up the closest napkin dispenser and started refilling it. All nine napkins needed. He moved on to the next one.

Mamoru raised an eyebrow. He'd forgotten all about that. "It's a surprise," he settled for, rather demurely he thought so.

"Aw, come on man, give me a hint. A small hint!"

"I won't be going as Aquaman," Mamoru said as he grabbed his coffee and folded the newspaper, tucking it under his arm. Well, its previous owner had abandoned it, and waste not, want not. "I'll see you this afternoon, Motoki."

"Mamoru!" his friend yelped behind him. "I want another clue! I always knew you'd never go as Aquaman! I did! Really!"

But Mamoru just waved a hand over his shoulder and started for his first class.

* * *

Usagi giggled as she used her Luna Pen on Rei, turning her into a raven-haired version of Sailor Venus.

"Oh god, no!" Minako cried, shielding her eyes. "That colour is so wrong on her! Try Jupiter!"

"But Ami's Jupiter," Rei snapped, crossing her arms. "And what's wrong with orange? You think _you_ can pull it off?"

"Well what am I doing in these heels?" Makoto grumbled, hands on her hips as she glared down at her cherry red shoes. "I mean, are these not the height of impracticality or what?"

"Is this skirt shorter than the usual length?" Ami asked nervously, tugging on her forest green skirt. "It feels shorter. Does anyone have a ruler with them?"

"I don't understand why _I _couldn't be Mercury," Minako pouted in her fuku. "I mean, don't get me wrong Usa, Moon is lovely, but I just don't think I pull this look off... I mean, for starters, my hair is a completely different consistency from yours. Look how poofy these pigtails are! I'm going to look ridiculous! I want to be Mercury. I want to try a cropped bob."

"This orange would look horrible on anyone," Rei continued, eyeing her bow distastefully.

"And that's not even mentioning you couldn't run in them without twisting an ankle or breaking a leg," Makoto persisted loudly. "These have a better use of a weapon than for footwear. See the razer-sharp stilettos? It's like walking on a syringe on each foot! Junkies could try to stab themselves with these things."

Usagi watched as her friends continued to complain about their costume choices, and felt a powerful wave of despair. Sometimes being a girl really sucked. Parties were so arduous and tedious to get ready for.

"Minako, do you think this skirt is unreasonably short? Shouldn't it be longer since Makoto has elongated limbs?"

"What you saying about my legs, short stuff?"

"And who pairs orange with blue in this shade? I would prefer to wear Mercury or Jupiter. Ami, swap with me. You can wear Venus."

"She doesn't want Venus, it will clash with her hair. Are you stupid? Ami, you should wear Moon, Mako should wear Venus, Usa can wear Mars, and Rei can have Mercury."

"Usagi is _not _wearing Mars!" Rei yelled above the instant explosion of complaints. "She doesn't touch my fuku!"

With a weary sigh, the blonde in question simply raises the Luna Pen and silently called back the transformations. A second later, the five friends stood back in their school uniforms. They turned to their leader, expressions ranging from relief, to annoyance, to suspicion.

"Guys," Usagi said heavily. "We're not getting anywhere. We already decided on whom was going as whom."

"Well that was _before_ I saw the colours together, wasn't it?"

Usagi turned from Minako and Rei as a new argument broke out and addressed Ami. "Does the Luna Pen come with an automatic glamour?"

Her friend stared thoughtfully at the floor for a moment before nodding. "It must, since it was created for Senshi purposes." Behind her, Makoto smothered a smirk at the words _Senshi purposes_. Usagi ignored this.

"If I made a conscious decision to _not _create a glamour, or actually, to remove it, would that be possible?"

"You could try," Makoto answered as she fingered one of her plants on the shelf beside her. "The Luna Pen does whatever you want it to, Usa."

Usagi stared thoughtfully at the device in her hand. They had exactly ten minutes before the party began and they'd run into a problem they hadn't previously considered. But an idea was already churning in Usagi's mind.

Pursing her lips and closing her eyes, Usagi raised the pen and willed five simultaneous transformations. Only when she felt the power fade from the room did she open her eyes.

"We're... in our own colours," Minako said gently after a few seconds.

"I think she did that intentionally," Rei said as she regarded the blonde Senshi leader before her. "Did you?"

"Well we were cross-dressing in order not to be recognised as the Sailor Senshi, right?" Usagi asked unanimously, continuing before she could be interrupted. "Well, what if we only used the Luna Pen for our own transformations instead of our personal henshin wands? If you remove the glamour, we just look like excellent cosplayers, but no one will ever recognise us. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"So you think that we won't be recognised because our _real _Senshi counterparts _wear_ the glamour?" Makoto asked for confirmation.

Usagi nodded, eyeing her friends uncertainly. "What do you think?

"I think it'll work," Minako chirped happily. "I don't feel that magical presence around me," she stretched her arms before her and wiggled her fingers. "Like that little shield we wear when we're transformed. The air is lighter and cooler when we're not under glamour."

"I feel different as well," Rei nodded, grinning as she examined her empty hands. "And see? I'm trying to retrieve my powers but I can't because I'm not in true Sailor Mars form."

"Good thinking, Usa," Makoto clapped her shoulder, making the blonde's knees buckle slightly under the pressure.

"Yeah, you can come up with some real genius moments when you want to," Rei commented, shooting her a sly smile.

Usagi only laughed in response and patted her body down. "Well, I think that was the last one for a while," she joked. "So should we all start heading out now?"

"Alright!" Minako cheered, jumping in the air happily. "I'm going to a party as the hottest superhero there ever was! And for once, guys can appreciate my legs and know who I am!"

"You're talking about Motoki, aren't you?" Usagi deadpanned.

"Well of course," Minako giggled. "But other equally attractive suitors are also welcome!"

* * *

Mamoru was standing by the counter, helping himself to some punch and waiting for Motoki to return. His friend had just headed to the back to retrieve a new batch of cookies, as the first two trays had disappeared within minutes. Without Motoki, Mamoru felt strange. The music was too loud, the crowd wasn't his scene, and frankly, there were a little too many girls dressed in flimsy garments that left very, very, _very _little to the imagination. He shuddered to think of the thoughts of the other males around him. No doubt there was a lot of teenage boy lust going around the room this afternoon. Maybe that's why Motoki's parties were always so popular... Motoki attracted the girls and the girls attracted the boys...

He sipped his drink and made a face. It was much too sweet. He decided to trade his punch for some good old agua. Water is good for the body anyway, right?

He turned for the water jug as Motoki returned, but as Motoki placed the new tray on the table, he made an odd choking sound. Mamoru glanced up at his friend's face and followed his shocked gaze to the arcade doors.

And that's when he saw _her._


	12. T minus 0

**AN: **Arg! This chapter was a female dog to write, let me tell you. I knew three things had to happen for certain, but the rest was just difficult, difficult, difficult. You should also extend some thanks to **Kaitlyn Fall **for betaing this chapter, and making sure it makes sense, because let me tell you... My brain last night? Like a banana somebody had stepped on. Sorry for the epic and unusually long wait for this chapter. I hope it lives up to your expectations. One, maybe two more chapters at the very most. Depends how loaded the next one is.

Standard disclaimer applies. I don't own Sailor Moon. But I like the idea of her being a crime-fighting superhero with a gun? Why Naoko didn't go with that idea is beyond me...

* * *

**When time stops**

****

**

* * *

**

Behind him, Motoki starting hacking loudly as his coughing fit took a turn for the worse. But Mamoru only had eyes for the girl in the doorway.

"I'm not late, am I?" she purred as she swished the long, black tail she held in her hand, slowly strutting in.

"To-Tomoyo-san?" Mamoru asked for clarification, as if this girl sauntering towards him wasn't the humble and studious classmate he'd grown accustomed to, and the leather catsuit was a trick of his imagination.

She shook her head slowly, giving him a slow, demure smile. "You can call me Catwoman." She gave a little "Rowl," for effect, her silver nails catching in the arcade lights.

Mamoru made an effort to swallow, barely noticing his friend had had to dash to the kitchen to continue his coughing fit. Clearly something had gone down the wrong tube.

"Um, that's quite some costume you've got there," he managed to say, spending majority of his energy trying to keep his eyes on hers and not…. Elsewhere. He tried not to notice the way the leather clung to her body, or the protruding bust that looked almost three cups larger than usual, or the way the silver zipper over her cleavage demanded his attention, with its dance with the light.

"I could say the same about you," she said in a low voice, trailing one hand over his vest. "But Tuxedo Kamen? Isn't that a little mainstream for you?"

"He's a great superhero," Mamoru defended, his eyes accidentally darting down once, before fixing themselves back on Tomoyo's smirking face. "And he's real, which is more than I can say for…" he gulped. "Your character."

"Oh, Catwoman is real," Tomoyo said seriously. "Very real. She's standing right here, isn't she?"

When Mamoru made no reply, Tomoyo let out a loud, light laugh. "What's the matter, Mamoru-san? Cat got your tongue?" She swatted him lightly on the chest. "Hey, I'm only kidding around."

At this, Mamoru felt relief flood through his veins. He'd been sure for a moment there that Tomoyo had been flirting with him! And he hadn't known what to do! What _does _a guy wearing a cheap tuxedo do when a girl dressed all in leather starts making the move?

"I was actually hoping you'd seen someone," Tomoyo continued. "Is Unazuki around here somewhere? I left my textbook at her place last night, and I think I'll be needing it to study this weekend."

"Una…zuki? Furuhata Unazuki?"

"Motoki's little sister, yes. I'm her tutor."

Mamoru's heart sank. So _this_ must have been the girl Unazuki had been talking about on Tuesday. It wasn't Usagi. Wait – why did he care?

"She's around here somewhere," Mamoru said, waving his hand around in the general direction of his left. "I saw her before with some of her friends, I think."

"Oh," Tomoyo flashed him a grin. "Well, I think I'll talk to her in a bit. But now that I've already found a friend to chat with, I'm in no rush!"

* * *

Usagi stopped dead in the doorway, watching as a girl with long, dark hair and wearing a slinky leather suit playfully slapped Mamoru and laughed. She watched as he smiled in return, and began talking, to the enthusiastic nodding of the girl, before he waved a hand around to his left.

"What's the hold up, Odango-brain?" Usagi heard Rei mutter as she pushed past the blonde to get in the door. "Can't you see you're blocking the rest of us with your big, fat head?" She flounced off in the direction of the bathrooms, complaining about her rat nest of a hair day.

"Hey," Minako sang as she slid past Usagi as Rei had. "I love this song," and she was off, swaying her hips in time to the music as she disappeared into the gathered crowd.

"Come on, let's start with the drinks before we circulate," Makoto nudged Usagi forward, with Ami following suit. "Oh wait," she said suddenly, seeing what Usagi had seen. Usagi quickly looked at Makoto, who was already frowning, her lips pursed. "You know what? We're at a party. We socialise first and foremost, so that's what we're going to do," and with that, both she and Ami linked arms with Usagi and steered her in the direction Minako had taken only moments earlier.

And Usagi did try to enjoy herself. She really did. And although her friends tried their hardest to distract her ("Oooh," Makoto pointed to the wall. "Aren't those paper-chain Senshi cute?" "Oh my gosh, this cookie is divine! You have to try one, Usa!" "Hey, have you noticed how shiny the floor is this afternoon? Like, super shiny?" "Did you just see Minako's skirt accidentally flip up? Thank god these fukus come with inbuilt scungies!"), it was to no avail. Usagi's heart was no longer in it.

"Sorry guys," she said pathetically as Rei volunteered to wreak havoc with the other teenage girls wearing Sailor Moon fukus. Flimsy, slutty versions of a Sailor Moon fuku. "I guess I'm just not in a party mood."

"But Usa!" Minako cried, reaching for her gloved hand and holding it in her own. "It hasn't even gotten dark yet! That's when the disco ball comes into full effect!"

"Stay a little longer," Ami pleaded. "Please. If I have to stay until 7.30, we all have to stay until 7.30." She didn't need to add that she was missing out on ample quiet-library time, as the girls all knew what she meant anyway.

"If this is about Mamoru-san," Rei started in a threatening voice, her growl almost lost in the music that thumped around them on the makeshift "dance floor".

Usagi was about to tell them she was going to head home, when she thought she heard her name, above the music. She half turned, but saw only dancing Mr. Incredibles and Wonder Women. "Sorry guys," she began when she heard her name again.

"Usagi-chan!" the blonde spun to the voice, and saw Motoki beaming as he parted through a dancing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and a girl version of Spiderman. "Gomen," she heard him apologise as he pushed through, bouncing off the turtle's shell. "Gomen, gomen. Usagi!" he yelled again happily when he'd reached her, enveloping her in a hug. "You look great!" he called over the music as he held her at arm's length to admire her fuku. "That costume is probably the best I've seen all night! It looks so…. real! You look almost exactly like Sailor Moon!"

"Thanks!" Usagi shouted back happily. "A friend who cosplays made ours all especially for us!" She indicated the girls, who stood in various levels of shock. Her own heart had almost stopped beating when he'd said she looked just like Sailor Moon, but she could tell from his expression that her alter-ego's glamour protected them both. She flashed her friends a grin that said it was alright, that they were safe. They all visibly relaxed.

"You all look fantastic! Like, you all really do match – the Sailor Senshi would be proud. Hey! Wouldn't it be great if they really did turn up tonight? That would give the arcade the biggest edge over the Starbucks and Caffe Veloce's!" Usagi and the girls all laughed politely, as if cued. Usagi decided to change the subject.

"Hey, what happened with your Tuxedo Kamen costume? I thought you were going as him!" She eyed his orange and green ensemble. "Who are you supposed to be?"

Motoki gave her a crazed look. "Aquaman! You can totally tell – look," he brandished a trident as if out of thin air. He pretended to blast Minako a couple of times, making his own explosion sounds, and grinned. "Yeah, I was going to go as Tuxedo Kamen, but then I thought 'how many guys would go as Aquaman!' so I changed, and I was right! I'm the only one here!" He looked proudly at his audience, before clearing his throat and asking,

"Hey, you guys haven't by some chance seen Mamoru recently, have you? I haven't seen him in a while and I need to check he hasn't left!" Motoki leaned in closer to the group, as if whispering a secret, but of course the music made him have to raise his voice anyway. "He isn't a very party kind of guy, you know. I had to beg him to come to this. It's good for him to get out and socialise!"

"I'll bet," Usagi muttered darkly under her breath, before smiling in a confused manner and shaking her head, sounding a loud "No, we haven't! But maybe he left after all. He's pretty introverted, and this party's getting more crowded by the minute!"

"I know I haven't seen him," Usagi heard Rei mutter darkly at the same time. "Because when I do -" she yelped as Makoto brought her boot down on her foot.

"Tell me about it!" Motoki yelled happily, his eyes lighting up as he gestured around them. "It must be the theme, because no annual arcade party has ever been this popular! Isn't it great?" Even as Usagi nodded, Motoki cast his eyes over her shoulder. "Oh, there's Unazuki. Maybe she's seen him recently. See you around, Usagi! And once again, great costumes, everyone!" And with a regrip of his golden trident, and one more fake blast at a startled Ami, Motoki was parting the crowd once more, to find his sister.

Seeing Motoki had improved Usagi's mood greatly. "Okay, okay," she sighed loudly as she turned back to her friends, rolling her eyes a little, even as a smile began to stretch on her face. Her friends brightened at the smile, their relief overtaking concern, and suddenly, Usagi felt uninhibited again. She felt like she was back to being herself. "You know what? It _is_ a party! Why am I not having fun?" Besides, she hadn't seen Mamoru since they'd arrived, some hour earlier. "I'm going to get a drink and then we are going to show this party how to party!" Usagi turned and slipped through the crowd, her departure signalled by the cheering of her friends.

Pleased with her own turn of mood, by the time Usagi had reached the counter and grabbed a sugar cookie to nibble on as she poured herself a cup of lemonade, she was feeling like her usual self. She was feeling great! She was feeling as if she could take on the world! She was feeling –

"Odango-Atama?"

Like she could choke on something. Or flee for her life. Or punch someone in the nose.

"Mamoru-baka," she said loudly and curtly over the music. She bit into her cookie, pleased at the blasé attitude it practically radiated as she regarded him coolly, whilst her heart pounded heavily and her mouth went dry. She found it difficult to chew after that. "What is it?"

His brows furrowed as he took in her expression, but Usagi's resolve did not waver.

"Are you okay?" he asked, in what she might have mistaken for concern.

"Of course I'm okay," Usagi replied without missing a beat. "What do you want?"

"I…." his eyes flashed around her face. He lifted a hand up and ruffled his hair, stopping as if realising something. Without taking his eyes off hers, he stepped closer, an intense look of concentration now crossing his face.

Usagi was tempted to take a step back as Mamoru got closer and closer. She could see every fine crease in his white starched shirt and see the velvety material of his tuxedo jacket. His eyes glinted with something under that white mask, although she couldn't put her finger one what. But she could feel the counter pressing into her back, and knew she had nowhere to go.

"What's that smell?" Mamoru asked suddenly, his face only a meter away from her own. The music faded from Usagi's hearing, and her focus was suddenly on Mamoru's intense blue eyes.

"I don't know," Usagi said, blinking and snapping out of her daze. She pushed the man away from her and sidestepped, putting distance between them.

"It smells like…. Vanilla."

"There's a busload of cookies right there you know, so when you're done being crazy…"

"I've smelt it somewhere before."

"You know what? It's time for me to go," Usagi said, scooping up her cup and edging around the man that was gazing at her thoughtfully. As she passed him, Mamoru clicked his fingers.

"I smelt it this morning. And I smelt it earlier in the week, too. It's your shampoo, isn't it?"

"I'm sure lots of people use vanilla scented shampoo, baka. Now if you're done making cracks about my hair again… Goodbye." As Usagi marched off, she heard Motoki call happily for his friend, having now found him, and knew Mamoru wouldn't follow.

When Usagi reached her friends again, she wore her happy face.

"Ready to show this party who's boss?" Minako cheered, flipping her signature 'V is for Victory!' sign. Laughing at her friend's antics, Usagi watched as one by one, her friends struck their signature poses, as if readying for battle.

Usagi spun on the spot and struck her own trademark pose, complete with the arm actions usually reserved for trash talking the Negaverse . But even as her movements slowed to a stop, her eyes met with Mamoru's across the room. There was something in his expression that sent a deep, plunging feeling through her gut. Suddenly, she didn't feel well.

Usagi watched, her laugh dying down as Mamoru brushed Motoki off and began marching in her direction.

"You know what? I really feel like an ice cream right now," she said quickly, flashing a desperate grin at the arcade doors, hoping her friends would fall for her excuse. "What do you say we duck out and get some from down the street and come back later?"

"What? What do you want to leave a party for?"

"Did she say ice cream?" Ami shouted to Rei, who shrugged.

"Can you repeat that, Usagi-chan? We didn't hear you properly."

Usagi felt her panic levels rising as the seconds ticked by. Once Mamoru had her cornered, there'd be hell to pay, and it would be very difficult to leave without making a scene.

"We have to go!" she shouted, suddenly furious at the volume of the music. Who played music that loud anyway? How was anyone expected to hear anything else? "NOW!"

"We have to go?"

"Why are we leaving?"

Usagi stiffened, feeling Mamoru's presence even before turning around. "Oh, Mamoru-baka! We were just leaving! Hope you're having fun." She tried to push past him, but he blocked her. She sidestepped him, which he also blocked. Usagi let out a frustrated growl.

"I need to speak with you," he said, low and urgently so only she could hear.

"Yeah, well I don't need to speak to you. Now step aside, baka."

"Oda-Usagi. I need to speak with you. It's important."

"I'm sure there are other more important things you'd rather do with your time than converse with me, so please, _step aside_."

Mamoru made a small flick with his wrist, one so tiny, a casual observer might have missed it. But Usagi knew what retrieving something from your deep subspace pocket looked like. She stepped back quickly, as if the simple white mask now sitting in Mamoru's palm was a bomb, ready to explode at a moment's notice.

Mamoru pressed it into Usagi's hands, and trembling, she turned it this way and that, looking for any defect, a sign that it was a fake.

Mamoru reached up and removed the tacky velvet mask that was held to his face by a cheap, thin piece of string, silently communicating what she had to do. And though Usagi didn't want to, already her trembling hands were wandering their way up to his face. The white satin material felt smooth in her gloved hands – they were both made of the same material. But that didn't mean anything. Her blood had chilled, and with slow, deliberate movements, she reached up to replace the previous mask back on Mamoru's face.

Her heart beat furiously in her chest, her blood pounding in rhythm with it in her ears. It was like watching a revelation of a soap opera, where the ticking got faster and faster, and louder and louder, until the climax stopped the world short.

Her hands were passing his jaw now, inching past his lips and over his nose. She pressed the mask over his eyes, feeling it pull and stay, as if by some magnet, it recognised its home.

She gasped, staring up at the glittering sapphire eyes gazing back at her, framed by the familiar white mask. It might have only been three or more seconds, but the world felt tilted, like it was all wrongly aligned, and that time had literally _stopped_.

A superhero's glamour means nothing if they willingly give their identity away. Usagi could see it now. The familiar face, the well-muscled chest, the strong, towering body that had made her feel so safe in the previous few months. This was the man who had saved her life repeatedly? Who had shielded her from harm as often as the danger had presented itself? The man who constantly and willingly would put himself in harm's way to protect her? The magic fell away before the blonde's very eyes, and she was speechless.

Someone bumped into Mamoru from behind, and he stumbled forward, catching Usagi in his arms to avoid them both being knocked over.

It was then that the realisation hit, and she knew what Mamoru had wanted to talk about.

After all this time, after her week of efforts in trying to get under Tuxedo Kamen's possible glamour by targeting his civilian identity…. She'd never given thought to how she'd feel when she was given her answer.

"Oh my god," she whispered, stumbling back into Rei. She began shaking her head uncontrollably as tears pricked at her eyes painfully. "No," she whispered, her voice rising with every denial. "No, no, no, no, no!"

She spun on her heel and pushed through her friends, scrambling to get to the doors, until at last she was free.

Usagi took off running from the arcade, tears pouring down her face, long blonde hair streaming behind her. She was so terrified. She was so humiliated. She was so... disappointed.

"Usagi!" she heard as she careened down the busy street. But she paid no heed; instead, she kept running. Running gave her something to do. Because any moment, she'd completely break down. Right in the middle of the street. Right in front of-

"Usagi!"

Heart hammering in her throat, vision blurring beyond visibility, and head pounding with the comings on of a tremendous headache, the blonde put on her last ounce of speed to get away. Normally, Luna's warnings of using her Senshi powers in civilian form would have deterred her from this decision. But today was not the day to be cautious.

She needed to get away from him.

* * *

Hey, do any of you remember **Scarlet32**'s fic _Scavenger Hunt_? Dude! I've been in love with that fic for years, and was heartbroken when it discontinued after only four fantastic chapters. But fear not, ladies and gentleman! Scarlet is finishing it off! Yay! Chapter five just went up; look forward to more yummy Usa/Mamo moments to come! Other than that, I hope you enjoyed the chapter xx

Also also also! Happy Valentine's Day for tomorrow (or maybe in two days's time, depending on where in the world you are. Or even yesterday! for some of you. Point is. Hope you had a nice holiday filled with love notes, chocolate and teddy bears!)


	13. T plus

**AN:** Here is the final chapter. I have a big headcold right now, so I'm not even sure if it makes sense since I'm surrounded by so many drugs and my head is pretty heavy and crazy right now *crazed grin* I made sure to leave the story with a possibility of an epilogue, but also that it can go without one. I'm hoping/I'd prefer not to write an epilogue, but if some of you feel the story is unifinished, I suppose I could whip something up.

Usual disclaimer applies. I don't own Hannah Montana, Sailor Moon, Disney movies, any scientific discoveries... Nothing. :C Not even a piddly biology patent. Bah!

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**T plus ...**

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She took herself to the temple. She didn't know why. She didn't think about it. Her body had just taken her somewhere where she felt safe. And that was at Rei's.

She stumbled into Rei's room and slammed the door shut, causing the frame to shudder dangerously. Sobs that felt ripped all the way from the pit of her stomach to her throat filled the room as she sank to the floor and leaned against Rei's low, flat bed.

She didn't want Mamoru to be Tuxedo Kamen.

She didn't want Tuxedo Kamen to be _Mamoru_.

She didn't want to be Usagi, the silly girl playing dressup to a hero that all of Japan looked up to. She wasn't fit to take care of anything, and now her saviour knew it.

Everything becomes so complicated when you live a double life! Glamours and shields and identities and possible-allies-possible-enemies! It was stupid. She was stupid. _He _was stupid.

Everything was stupid.

And then the tears stopped. Usagi had a massive and throbbing headache, one that threatened to split open her forehead and spill her brains to the world, right there on Rei's floor, she couldn't see anything and the world stung her eyes in all its brightness.

The pain only fuelled the anger though, and Usagi went from desperately-depressed to blazingly angry in a matter of seconds.

How dare he make her feel bad about being Sailor Moon? He was the one who wasn't even needed on the battlefield. He was useless. His stupid roses did nothing except crack the pavement and distract the youma whilst the _real_ soldiers fought it off and wore it down.

Usagi heard the door slide open and close just as quietly. The brief tiptoe of feet padded across the floor until the body slid down against the bed beside her own.

"He's stupid," Usagi spat without turning.

"He's stupid," Rei agreed, still facing the door .

"I am a good Senshi!" Usagi continued vehemently.

"You are a good Senshi."

"He…" Usagi trailed off, eyes wide as she realised she didn't know what she wanted to say.

"Disappointed you?" Rei whispered in the quiet room.

"Yeah," Usagi whispered just as quietly.

"Is it really that bad? Mamoru is a responsible, attentive young man. So is Tuxedo Kamen, who might I remind you, is the reason you're here today. Again and again."

"I know, I know," the blonde scowled deeply. "But he's still a jerk and he only saved my life because he didn't know who I was. Now he's not even going to bother!"

"Don't talk like that," floated Minako's voice as she hung in Rei's window, arms folded and holding her up. Usagi and Rei spun around to look up at her. "You're a great Senshi and an even great girl," she turned her head and called over her shoulder. "Bit higher, Mako. They've seen me now."

A jerk pushed Minako up high enough that she could get a proper grip on the sill and leap gracefully down to Rei's bed, which only sprung slightly from the impact. "Ta da!"

And then the door slid open again to reveal Ami and Makoto, who came in bearing encouraging smiles.

"I'm so angry with him," Usagi said to her newfound audience. She banged her hand on the hardwood floor. "He's a jerk. He made me feel bad about myself again. See? He can do that even when he's not here! Jerk," she added again.

"It's okay to feel like this, Usa-chan," Ami spoke after a while. "You have two separate relationships with this man and now they've been fused. We understand what you must be going through."

"I wouldn't say they're fused," Makoto said. "They're still two separate relationships, right?"

"Wrong," Usagi said in a hard voice. "They've fused and now I hate both of them just as much as the other." She banged her palm on the ground again, if only to keep herself from yanking on her pigtails to keep her frustration intact. "He humiliated me! He now knows who I am and he tried to tell me at a PARTY!"

During her outburst, Usagi felt a streak of energy run down her spine, and instantly knew what it meant. She sighed wearily and got to her feet, being eyed wearily by her friends.

"Let's go kill this thing before he turns up," she huffed, her words followed by the trilled beeping of Ami's youma-detector as she pulled it out of her subspace pocket.

* * *

The Senshi burst on to the scene six minutes later. The youma spun to them and let out an angry and surprised snarl. It was dark and hard shelled, whilst dripping slime from its mouth, fingers and slits in its neck.

"It's corrosive!" yelled Sailor Jupiter as they watched some of the pavement dissolve as if nothing more than cardboard. Sailor Mars jumped back just in time to avoid some of the flying spit the monster sprayed her way.

"Keep it busy!" But Sailor Mercury needn't have said anything, as the Senshi automatically slipped into routine. The minutes ticked by as the girls and the youma performed an almost tango-like dance. Give, take. Back, forth. Sent attack, retreat from acid.

"Mercury?" Sailor Venus called through gritted teeth as she clutched a rib, which had taken the brunt of a fall to avoid a hole in the pavement. "Diagnosis?"

"Where do I aim? Where do I aim?" Sailor Moon was squealing nervously as she held her tiara in front of her, eyes darting left and right to find an escape before she was cornered.

"The computer's broken!" Sailor Mercury yelled in response to both blondes. She was closest to Sailor Moon, so she said loudly, "I couldn't fix it!"

"Fix it?" Sailor Mars' head whipped over. "Did you know it was broken beforehand?" Her eyes held far more acid and heat that the youma could possess at this moment.

"So I just have to guess?" Sailor Moon squeaked.

"Hurry!" Sailor Jupiter called as she threw a handful of lightning at the youma's back. But it was a pointless attack. The back's shell protected it from any harm. It could only be hurt from the underside, where the shell was nonexistent.

Sailor Moon had a plan formed instantly. "Stay back," she warned her friends in a voice of steel. "This might get messy."

Her friends retreated, and Sailor Moon backed slowly into the wall behind her, eyes warily watching the corrosive slim that dripped from the monster. One false move and she really would be a pair of odangos on the sidewalk…

"That's it," she muttered to herself as her predator-slash-prey inched forward after her, eyes crazed and hungry looking. But it didn't want energy, from the looks of it. It wanted to destroy.

Behind her back, Sailor Moon traded her tiara for her wand, feeling the increased level of energy would be needed. She felt the tiara's weight settled once more on her brow as it disappeared from her hand, and gripped the handle of the Moon Wand tighter.

"Just a bit more," she whispered, eyes now locked on the youma, who leered at her, pleased to find its prey 'trapped'.

"Now!" Sailor Moon yelled as she threw her wand out before her and willed a channelled beam of energy into the underside of the shelled youma.

And just like she'd expected, the dark figure she'd seen from the corner of her eye was gone in a flash, now covering them both protectively with his cape.

When the final bang sounded, as well as the squelching sound of flying goo hitting pavements, storefronts and the occasional bin, Tuxedo Kamen ripped off his cape, where visible holes were being created and threw it to the ground.

Without a word of thanks, Sailor Moon stepped out from behind her human shield and began strutting back to her friends, which, unfortunately, entailed answering to Sailor Mars, who was carrying on about the broken computer.

"What," called a voice from behind the Senshi leader. "No thanks?"

"Do I need to?" she said coldly, turning back to him. "Formalities are just that now. Formalities. You never showed me any before you knew who I also was, shouldn't I return the favour?"

Tuxedo Kamen stared at her, disbelief etched deep into his face. "Are you serious?" he ended up spluttering out as Sailor Moon had made to turn back around. "I just saved your life. _Again_."

Further reminding of just how many times she owed him her life soured Sailor Moon's mood further. Like she didn't already feel stupid and reckless.

"Thanks," she hissed. "I didn't know you were keeping count."

"Why are you being like this?" he called as she began to walk away again in annoyance. "Why is it so terrible that I am who I am? Why can't you just be glad that I'm someone you know. Someone you can trust. I would protect you in both personas you know."

Sailor Moon spun back and in her anger, accidentally shot a blast of energy from her wand into the ground between them, leaving a scorch mark to accompany the caustic holes in the pavement.

"Because you're not a good person! You're not a good person in my books, and you want me to suddenly change my mind about you because you've kept me alive all these months? You think that's going to work? Because it isn't."

"I didn't reveal who I was for that." Suddenly, he was angry, and Usagi was tempted to take a step back. But thankfully, her body stayed put. "I was handing you my trust. I was showing you I was your ally. It was a spur of the moment decision, and I thought it best to be done not near a youma-fight where the Negaverse had the opportunity to overhear or see anything."

Behind her, Sailor Moon could sense her friends' heightening alert. She wondered if they'd step in soon, or let her have her beef with the man. She hoped they'd step in soon before she did something really impulsive and reckless. Like fry him to a crisp. "How can you be so selfish?" she asked wonderingly. "Who said I wanted your identity in the first place?"

"And you're saying you didn't want it," he laughed humourlessly with a cold smile. "What man uses Vanilla scented shampoo, Sailor Moon? Or should I say _Tanaka_?"

Sailor Moon felt her blood turn cold. Surely he wasn't saying what he was saying, right? He was only blindly stabbing at a guess? Randomly shooting the arrow, hoping to hit a bullseye.

"You're an idiot," she told him.

"I tried as well, you know. To figure out your identity. I'm not going to hold that one back, since you did the same thing. Tell me, do you know how hard it is for a private investigator to follow a superhero around town?"

"It's impossible," Sailor Moon spat, before realising her slip up. "Do you know what happens when people try to use a body recognition scanning system on another superhero?"

"Was the glamour still effective?"

"Hypothetically, yes."

"Then the system, which I'm assuming is Sailor Mercury's computer, would have blown up." Sailor Mars let out an angry splutter at this. "A glamour protects those from trying to figure out the identity of its owner, particularly without the owner's knowledge or permission. My turn, do you know difficult it is to hide a voice recognition system in a subspace pocket and have it working to the full effect on unsuspecting middle school girls? Girls who wail a lot?"

Sailor Moon did know how difficult it was to look under a disguise by way of voice recognition, as she had done just that. But instead, she said "Do _you _know how irksome it is to know some guy has gone and got himself another girl friend to bump into every day, leaving the old one behind?"

The blonde clamped her mouth shut, realising how her speech could be immediately misinterpreted. And when in doubt, stop talking and admit nothing.

"I don't have a girlfriend…." Tuxedo Kamen said slowly, a small crease forming between his eyebrows above his mask. "And even if I did, who are you implying is the old one?"

Sailor Moon remained silent, willing her friends to step in. They didn't. _Useless girls, _she thought grumpily to herself.

"Are you saying you've expended energy into trying to figure out who Tuxedo Kamen really is in civilian form? That you had an inkling of whom it might be? That you were hopeful?"

"I never said that," Sailor Moon said through tight lips. "And I don't want to talk about it anymore."

She stalked over to where Sailor Venus was, ready to march home to Rei's with her friends when she was called back.

"Why did you react the way you did? At least answer me that."

His voice was softer, more quieter, and when she glanced over her shoulder, he was standing much closer than he had been before.

It was like the tango with the youma all over again. One step forward, two steps back, one step forward, repeat.

She stalked up to him and poked him in the chest with a hard finger. "Because you made me feel like a loser! You made me feel like I wasn't good enough to be Sailor Moon, now that someone who knows what a failure I can be in civilian, knows who I am when I'm not her."

She resisted the urge to punch him as she glared up into those familiar sapphire eyes, regarding her with… something behind that white mask. That white satin mask that she had held in her own two hands this very afternoon.

"Why should you feel like a loser?" he asked, confused. "It only shows that when you put your mind to it and focus, you can be as brave and powerful and great as you want to be. As you need to be. Can't you see that?"

Sailor Moon felt her anger drain out her body. Slowly, like a full bath emptying cup by cup down the small drain until there were nothing but dregs.

"But you don't believe that," she said with a small smile. "Do you?"

"Of course I do. Confidence is the key in life. And you already know you've got it when you apply yourself. Why not always apply yourself? Be the best you can be?"

"Always one for the corny speeches," Sailor Moon heard Sailor Venus whisper to the girls. "Isn't he?"

"And you don't have any ideas as to what might suck any confidence I might have right out the door?" Sailor Moon asked, tilting her chin up defiantly just a bit.

"My apologies for that will last a lifetime. I've learnt my lesson, believe me."

"Because you now know that your victim can turn you into dust if she feels so inclined?"

Tuxedo Kamen tipped his head slightly. "Perhaps. But also because I've realised there's more to the girl that I thought, and I want to get to know her better. The real, whole, packaged deal her. The beautiful, happy, carefree girl that can make bring sunshine and life into a room, and more."

"And you're not just saying that because Tuxie has the hots for Moonhead, right?" Sailor Mars asked testily. Sailor Moon turned to look at her friend, who was regarding the man before them with crossed arms and a wary expression. Her eyes flickered to meet Sailor Moon's, who smiled greatfully at her friend. Mars winked and Moon turned.

"Tuxie may have had had the hots for Moonhead," the man said solomly, a hint of a grin spreading. "But someone else he knows might have a bit of a crush on a friend of a friend. I think you might know her?"

"You don't know if she's free," Sailor Moon pointed out, crossing her arms and smirking at the looming superhero before her.

"Then you'll just have to tell her my friend will meet her at their usual place at ten A.M. tomorrow morning for milkshakes, his shout. Think you can pass on that message?"

"She isn't up at ten A.M. on a Saturday," the blonde said, shaking her head. "Make it eleven thirty and I'll see what I can do."

"Deal," Tuxedo Kamen said, holding out a hand. Sailor Moon reached forward and shook it, noticing too late the wide grin that spread over her companion's face. He tugged her hand, and she stumbled towards him, immediately being enveloped with his other arm as he leaned down and kissed her.

Sailor Moon smiled into the light kiss as she heard her friends gasp (and in Venus and Jupiter's cases, squeal and woop) in surprise.

When the pair separated, Sailor Moon was still grinning dazedly. "My friend will see your friend tomorrow at ten."

_

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_The end._


End file.
